Beacon: Academy
by Solvdrage
Summary: Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos didn't expect their afterlife to be the main menu for a video game. They didn't expect the settings to be sadistic. However, they weren't going to complain about a second chance when the fixes were so easy! They were ready to take Remnant by storm! Too bad they didn't read the instruction manual this time around either... Arkos focus Eventual "Landarkos"
1. Ready Player 1: Jaune Arc!

**Preemptive Author's Note:** Here's the "Gamer" fic promised in the update of "A Dream Hastened". Further notes are included after the chapter. Also...

Warning: Author Bashing in this chapter.

* * *

Beacon Academy stretched out across its campus, pristine and unharmed. It was a majestic sight. It was also a total lie.

Jaune Arc, or rather his disembodied spirit, was well aware this was impossible. Cinder Fall had led the Grimm and White Fang in an overwhefelming assault. The Atlesian Knights meant to defend Vale had been corrupted and turned against the defenders. Jaune had seen civilians, friends, and fellow Hunters crippled or killed. Each was a loss that weighed heavily on Jaune's soul and his memory. However, his greatest regret and failure was the death of Pyrrha Nikos. His best friend, partner, and someone he was starting to truly love was taken from him. Her death more than anything had mobilized Jaune, his teammates Ren and Nora, and Ruby Rose to begin the long journey to Haven Academy to investigate the faction led by Cinder.

All and all, Jaune had been pretty pleased by the progress Team RNJR had been making towards their ultimate objective.

Up until the point he had been impaled on a tree branch by a Geist's hitting him with a separate tree.

He hadn't been sure what to expect in the afterlife, but seeing the title menu of a video game was definitely not what Jaune had envisioned. Granted, dying hadn't been part of the plan. He had wanted to achieve justice for Pyrrha at the very least before dying. That would have left him with a good bit of regrets, but at least he would have accomplished one thing...

Unfortunately, the Geist had different ideas.

Jaune, if he still had a body, would have sighed. He decided to watch the cinematic views of Beacon and reflect on what could possibly happen next. The sole Arc son had one thing going for him in this situation. He had played a _lot_ of video games. Everyone knew the first rule of gaming was to save early and often.

 _'Okay, I know how the Geist operates now. I can get RNJR out safe in a much shorter amount of time...'_

Navigating the menu, Jaune opened the 'Load Game' option on the main menu. He found himself smiling, despite the fact he was...well...dead, as the 'Load Game' background image was Oobleck's class. The smile faded. It faded like Nora's smile when someone told her the dining hall was out of pancakes.

 _'Kinda on point,'_ Jaune seethed silently. This situation went well and truly beyond a critical pancake shortage. "Why the heck are there no saves? What kind of game doesn't even have autosave? This is a load of crap!"

Jaune really wished he had his body so that he could be taking Crocea Mors to the nearest desk in a fit of exasperated rage. What good was all _this?_ He had to go back! He had to make sure that Ren, Nora, and Ruby would be alright. Jaune had to make sure Pyrrha, Ozpin, and all the others who had given their lives received a measure of justice. Everything that had happened was firmly on his shoulders. If he had possessed a fourth of the faith in Pyrrha that Pyrrha had in Jaune...

"That's in the past..." Jaune nearly wept. Pyrrha's death was a still a raw wound that festered in his mind and his soul. The sole Arc son had watched the short training video Pyrrha had made every night since RNJR had left Ruby's home on Patch for no other reason than to hear Pyrrha's voice.

Wait...

Jaune's afterlife was somehow a video game. A video game that had a blindingly obvious 'New Game' option. He could go back! There was so much he would change, correct, and all around improve. Jaune rushed through the main menu and almost selected 'New Game', but at the last moment he stayed his hand. A few very important questions had finally surfaced.

First, if Jaune's life had been a video game, why had he not been able to save his progress?

Second, why hadn't he had a HUD letting him know what the heck was going on?

Third and finally, why had he been so horribly spec'd?

All of these questions needed answers. Shelving his desire to start over and correct his mistakes, Jaune scrolled back to the 'Settings' Menu. As the recently deceased Huntsmen took in the settings, he only had a single thought enter his head.

"What in the _actual_ duck? What kind of complete and utter dumbass made these settings?" Jaune spat at the image in front of him.

Difficulty: Ironman! What kind of unbelievable sadist had set Opponent Combat Speed to 150%, turned off autosaves, set experience growth to an absolute joke, and disabled tutorials? Jaune held off changing the settings until he got a better idea of what other horrors awaited him as he scrolled down.

Immersion: Full. Jaune really had the urge to kick whoever made the settings squarely in the nuts. The game was set to begin at _conception_. Con-freaking-ception. Just...what? Almost as bad, someone had disabled the HUD completely! No wonder he couldn't manually save! There was no reliable way to even access the menu! With tutorials turned off due to the assholish Ironman! difficulty, there was no way to learn the save hotkey either!

The dialogue setting was actually as distressing as any of the other options. Jaune's dialogue was set to 'auto'. Whatever systems ran the game choose all of his dialogue. In effect, Jaune's very _Free Will_ had been disabled. Had that caused him to act like a total idiot when he had tried repeatedly to ask out the beautiful Weiss Schnee? Was the little voice at the back of his head that routinely whispered "What about Pyrrha?" been his actual Free Will? Jaune mentally clinched his fists. The game set him up to be nothing but comic relief. 'His' dialogue and actions had been an embarrassment to someone he had actually ended up considering a friend. Worse, the pretty dickish settings of the game may have played a role in Pyrrha's decisions during the whole Maiden fiasco.

Without a moment of hesitation, regret, or delay, Jaune changed the dialogue setting to Full Control. He reclaimed his Free Will. That moment of liberation was one of the best feelings he had ever experienced. It ranked up there with entering Beacon successfully, defeating that giant Ursa to save Cardin, watching the looks of pride and satisfaction on his team's face as they were announced as the victors over Team BRNZ, and finally that _one_ moment with Pyrrha.

Temporarily pushing aside the melancholy and wistful thoughts of his partner, Jaune soldiered on.

Oh.

Oh _Hell No_.

Actually, Hell No was nowhere near strong enough to describe the absolute unfathomable levels of Hell No Jaune was experiencing. Hold on...

"What in the actual fucking hell? Who are the unbelievable fuckheads who would set my life up to be such a fucking joke? If I find who did this, I will fuck them all to death. I will rip down their pants and fuck them until their shitty souls leave their body for whatever Grimm-infested hell is waiting for their sorry, useless asses!" Jaune raged after disabling the Language Filter.

All Sexual Content had been disabled.

All of it.

Jaune Arc had been dropped into a world where his best friend was words-failing-ly gorgeous, five of six closest friends were also words-failing-ly gorgeous, one of his teachers was insanely hot, and nearly every woman he had ever met (including the one he dreamed of killing nearly every night) was beautiful (physically).

And he had never had a chance. All because some asshole had decided his life had to be 'family friendly'.

Forget that! It took several minutes of remembering more pleasant memories to calm down. He thought about the chat with Ruby heading to the first day's speech. Jaune's thoughts wandered to the training sessions with Pyrrha after he had pulled his head out of his ass after the encounter with CRDL. Sufficiently calm, Jaune decided that he hadn't run a wild enough gamut of emotions. He had gone from in mourning, to hopeful, to annoyed, angry then back to hopeful, and finally _absolutely livid._

Now he could add completely confused to the list.

"Why is there a setting just for lens flares? And who in Oum's name is J.J. Abrams?"

The still rather confused, emotionally off-balance, and troubled young man idly set lens flares to sane before scrolling back up to Difficulty.

"I'd like to think I was doing pretty good," Jaune said to himself while trying to avoid thinking about _how_ he was speaking with no body. He quietly assumed that since this appeared to be the afterlife, all normal rules were off. "I think if I can spec myself properly this time, I could _probably_ hold my own at 100% combat speed."

Jaune believed that with Pyrrha's training, proper skills, and more experience earned for his actions that he could _actually_ hold his own. The Knight had always felt that the deck had been stacked against him and seeing his settings had pretty much confirmed that position. Despite all that, Jaune had done _okay._ Tweaking the bare minimum would set him on a path to success. Opponent combat speed was set to 100%. Experience gain quickly matched that as well.

 _'Maybe this time, I won't be so far behind my friends. I won't be the lovable idiot stuck in the tree, but someone worth fighting alongside Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang...'_

Autosaves were another option that was quickly re-enabled. The question of _when_ to autosave was one that Jaune wrestled with for a bit. Jaune finally decided to autosave whenever he went to sleep. That option provided a great deal of leeway, a solid safety net, and a reliable schedule for him to plan around.

Since his last game had tossed him straight into the deep end, Jaune came to the completely reasonable conclusion that he needed to know what the hell was going on. Tutorials it was!

Last but not least, Jaune turned off 'Full Immersion'. He switched his starting point from conception to 'Beacon Admission'. Jaune still couldn't believe starting at _conception_ was an option as he toggled Full HUD back on.

"Alright," Jaune's disembodied voice announced to the threadbare settings screen. The Knight was all too happy to exit that particular screen as the emptiness was unsettling.

"You know what? I need to know who exactly to blame for all this," Jaune grumbled. The cursor on the menu screen scrolled down and selected "Credits". A heavily synthesized pop/rock ballad from the era when his parents were born started playing. Jaune recalled the sensation of throwing up his arms in exasperation. "Why am I not _fucking surprised?"_

The first words to faze into existence on the credits screen was "A PNKE Studios Joint: Remnant: Academy."

"Of course it would be those assholes," Jaune exited the menu. He honestly had to admit the credits song was catchy, but after the third overly emphasized _ACTION!_ he grew weary of the ridiculousness of it all.

The cursor blinked as Jaune hovered over the 'New Game'. Originally, he had been completely gung-ho about starting a new game. Now, he hesitated a bit. It was honestly hard not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the chance Jaune had been gifted. There was no way having a second chance was common. He could not waste this opportunity, but there was a problem.

Emotions.

If this really started when he was accepted to Beacon, would he be able to get his emotions under control? Depending on _when_ he was dropped off, could he keep his cover and not freak out the first time he saw Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Ruby or the others?

 _'How bad would it be if I burst into tears of joy at hearing one of Yang's awful puns or seeing her unmaimed?'_ Jaune thought. _'No...this is best. As tough as it_ could _be, I don't want to delay seeing all of them again...I_ need _to see Pyrrha again. See her_ safe _again.'_

There was no delaying any longer. Jaune had to go back. He had to save his friends, kill Cinder, and make everything right. Despite his elation at the prospect of a second chance, Jaune couldn't help shake the guilt that if he had not turned around when Pyrrha screamed and given Cinder that opening...none of this would even be necessary.

Oh, and Jaune wanted his body back.

Resolved, Jaune selected 'New Game'.

The 'camera' providing the cinematic views of Beacon suddenly rushed to the main entrance. With a speed that rivaled Ruby's Semblance, Jaune was rushed into the yawning black maw behind the doors.

Jaune could 'feel' his body resting comfortably in the familiar confines of his bed...back home. It all felt as real as he remembered. Throwing up his hands in elated triumph, Jaune cried out "Yes!"

Then, reality decided to remind Jaune it was pretty dang weird. [Welcome to Remnant: Academy. You are about to embark on an adventure that defies your expectations. Before you begin your quest to save Beacon from the Grimm, White Fang, and the Ultimate Evil that threatens humanity and Faunus-kind, you will need to create your character's avatar!]

Somewhat against his will, his childhood bed was as comfortable as his recalled form his memories, Jaune got up and walked into his bathroom. He stopped in front of his mirror and saw his reflection. It was a welcome sight.

[Now it is time to create your character's avatar. Follow the prompts to finalize your appearance!]

Jaune wasn't sure why a Full HUD hadn't appeared yet, but assumed the game wasn't trying to 'overwhelm a new player'. Still, there were five options appearing on his screen. The first was 'Default Male', 'Default Female', 'Custom Male', 'Custom Female', and 'Random'.

The cursor was sitting on 'Default Male'. Jaune had to admit that part of him was fairly curious about what 'Default Female' would look like as well as the depth of the customization system. For all of Jaune's insecurities of being lost in the shadow of his family's legacy of heroics and the incredible skill and rapid improvements demonstrated by his friends, Jaune was truthfully comfortable with his own body. There was also the issue of what would happen if he radically changed his appearance and gender. How would everyone react? Would his friends have a vastly different reaction to him? How would _Pyrrha_ react? Jaune's issues in the first playthrough really had nothing to do with his appearance. Every problem came from the awful default settings, being under leveled, and not having the proper skills chosen to compete with the world.

If he really got curious, he could always try another game one day.

Resolved, Jaune elected to keep his 'natural' appearance. Expediency and staving off a bit of an existential crisis tilted Jaune's decision to selecting the 'Yes' option on the pop-up asking [Confirm Appearance?].

[Now, you will need to finalize your character! Your default class is 'Knight'. Would you like to view the character sheet?]

Jaune selected 'yes' and desperately hoped there would be _some_ information on his Semblance. He scrolled past several very interesting choices. Command and Conversation definitely jumped out.

Still, Semblance!

"Oh, come on..." Jaune grumbled. There was nothing _specific_ about the nature of his Semblance. There were some great details, though. There was definitely an area of effect, which could be very useful. Level Four made a skill of his choice one magnitude higher while the Semblance was active. That...was awesome. Mastery was even beyond that. Everything stacked, but Mastery was freaking awesome. Activating his Semblance _instantly_ restored all his health and Aura. Better yet, all allies healed an additional 10% while Jaune was using his Semblance.

"So...many...combos..." Jaune actually cackled as he finished his statement. He remembered Pyrrha's words, actually he recalled almost everything she ever said to him but specifically, about how Jaune had larger than average Aura reserves.

"I am going to be a freaking legendary tank!" Jaune declared. The Knight class seemed very natural to the young man. His greatest desire was to be the protector. This class would let him support and protect all he cared about from harm. "I don't have to be the greatest fighter. I don't have to be Nora, Ren, Weiss, Blake, Yang, or Ruby. I could never be _Pyrrha_ , but I don't _have to be._ I simply have to be a more prepared Jaune. I can...I can do this."

[Do you wish to be The Knight?]

"Oum damn right, I want to be the Knight," Jaune declared as he hit the yes with the force of a million blows from Magnhild.

[You are the Knight, a protector and guide with a strong sense of honor and duty! As you have selected to begin your game shortly before beginning your Huntsmen career at Beacon Academy, you begin at Level 5. The game will now randomly generate your stats starting from a base of 25. The system will apply your initial stat upgrades up to Level 5. Future level ups will give you the option of allowing the computer to select three stats to upgrade or for you to manually chose which stats to upgrade. As for skills...]

Jaune's HUD flashed in front of him and a symbol for a book in the upper left of his perception blinked once. The world paused as the book became his sole focus. Jaune could only watch as the game tabbed over to 'Character Sheet'.

The Knight could only whistle appreciatively as he looked at his stats.

[This is your stats page. The currently highlighted section are your stats. To give you an idea, the average civilian averages a score of 15 for all stats. A Hunter averages 40. Weapon Skill determines how well you wield a melee weapon. Ballistic Skill measures your ability to aim ranged weapons. The other stats affect your physical and mental abilities. Strength also determines your physical appearance. A stronger character's appearance will be represented by the usual physical cues. Selected Skills will appear below. Now, it is time to select and generate your skills.]

"I really need to improve my Toughness if I'm going to be a Tank of any worth," Jaune grumbled. The appreciative feelings towards his stat line were slightly lessened. "At least I won't be asked to shoot much..."

Once again, the Game took control and directed Jaune to the Skills Table. Jaune felt his optimism for the future rise as he started planning his skill progression.

[As you can see, Knights begin with Shield Mastery 1, Longsword Mastery 1, and Command Level 1. You will earn a new skill every two levels earned. However! Before we allow you to select the two skills earned by your current level of 5, there will be a quick questionnaire. You can earn additional skills or stat increases depending on your answers! Let's begin!]

Jaune nodded as he prepared himself.

[First, Why have you chosen to be The Knight? 1. "I want to be the shining hero! I want to be the hero who arrives at the last second to save everyone!" 2. "I have a sacred duty to serve, protect, and guide others towards a better world." 3)"Knights are noble and powerful and wealthy individuals! I want that power!"]

If this question had been asked before his first death, Jaune would have selected option one without hesitation. He _wanted_ to be the hero. Heck, he still wanted to be the hero. However, arriving at the last second was part of the reason he had died...and lost the closest person to his heart...the one who had unlocked his soul. Three was selfish and probably what someone like Cardin would have chosen. That mean two was the only option worth taking.

[You are the idealized Knight! You have unlocked Shield Mastery 2 and Command 2!]

Jaune grinned at that.

[When you are not hunting the Creatures of Grimm, studying to succeed in Beacon's Academic classes, what would you be doing with your free time if you could choose _one_ of the following? 1)I would be cooking a nice meal. Can't stab a Beowolf on an empty stomach! 2)I would be chasing everybody that catches my fancy! I mean, have you _seen_ some of the students at Beacon! 3)I would own the dance floor. Everything is combat at Beacon, and I plan on being undefeated in Combat Class **and** in Dance Battles.]

It took Jaune several moments to stop laughing at the options. First choice sounded good. Jaune was not a good cook, but the idea of being able to throw a meal together did have some appeal. The second choice definitely had some appeal as well. The sole Arc son _had_ in fact seen some of the women at Beacon! That being said, he only really had his eyes set on one woman.

"Let's be honest," Jaune said to the blinking cursor. "I do plan on being undefeated in Dance Battles. JNPR owned the Beacon Dance. I plan on having that happen again!"

[You have sick moves. Your Weapon Skill and Agility increase by three and you have unlocked Creativity/Performance 1!]

"I can dig it," Jaune grinned at the pop-up message. "Now what?"

[It is time to finalize your character, class, and skills. As mentioned previously, you gain a new skill every two Levels. However, as you are just starting your epic quest (for loot...) to save Remnant from the Dark Forces threatening Human and Faunus alike, you will receive one additional skill. Please select the skills now.]

Jaune stared at his character sheet. "I wonder..."

[Semblance 1 cannot be selected. Longsword Mastery 3, Shield Mastery 3, and Command 3 required.]

 _'Well, crap,'_ Jaune thought. He had time to unlock those. The first step was to invest a skill point in Longsword Mastery. Jaune was confident that the ability to channel Aura into Crocea Mors would be let him provide enough support to his team for a few levels.

Jaune started reading down from Longsword Mastery. "I shouldn't...but I want it." Jaune decided to spend one of his skill points on "Piloting/Driving" in order to get rid of his near crippling airsickness. He wanted every possible edge he could get in kick-starting his friendship...and hopefully more...with Pyrrha.

[Select Vehicle Type: Ground Vehicle, Aircraft and Airship, Paladin, Boat]

Jaune wasn't sure that he could cure his airsickness if he chose any of the other options, despite the Skill Sheet claiming "All Negative Effects of travel are removed." This game was made by those jackasses from PNKE, after all. Erring on the side of caution, Jaune selected Aircraft and Airship.

The last choice, given Jaune's previous reasoning, was fairly obvious. He wasn't sure he'd invest any further skill points into the line. But damn it! Jaune was _going_ to be able to flirt successfully this time around! His final skill point was spent, but he wanted to see what the other skill lines offered.

Cooking required prep work, but played to the Knight's buffing/support nature. Once again, Jaune was actually surprised by the synergy between the skills lines. Cooking Level 4 meshed well with Conversation _and_ Command. Heck, Cooking Mastery provided a ridiculous monthly income bonus.

Creativity/Performance would require, well, creativity. Jaune could still see the benefits of the skill line. Especially when combined with Conversation.

 _'Mastery even combats the emergence of Grimm in an area. That's a nice little bonus...'_

Secondary Weapon Mastery was exactly what it said on the tin. While the weapon would never be as efficient as wielding Crocea Mors, it could provide a nice bit of backup. Jaune would have even considered investing in the skill line...if his Ballistic Skill stat wasn't a steaming pile of garbage.

Cryptography/Encryption was an odd choice for a knight. _'I guess I'm defending..._ everything? _'_ Jaune wondered with a bit of uncertainty. He could understand _why_ the skill would be useful. The hacking of Atlesian Paladins proved that in a very deadly, very visible way. Problem was...Jaune had no clue where, when, or how Cinder managed to get into the system. The Arc Knight couldn't really see himself investing in this skill line, but it did provide food for thought. He wasn't a computer or technical expert, without the skill obviously, and just couldn't picture uses for that skill line outside of that one specific example. _'Maybe on another play through...'_

Satisfied, Jaune selected "Confirm Selections".

[Are you sure?]

"Yes, I'm ready for my life this time," Jaune declared. As always, the Game had no response to his verbal confirmation

[Let's take a moment to introduce you to your HUD. In the top right, there are two gauges; your Vitality Gauge and your Aura Gauge. Vitality tracks physical health. The Aura gauge is identical to the function on a standard Scroll. The bottom right corner is your compass. If a Horde of Grimm approach, the Compass will flash red three times and a chime will play. Now, the icon in the upper left pulls up your Journal. The Journal has numerous tabs for inventory, Skill Table, Character Stats, and Active Quests. Also, when the Game is Autosaving, the Journal morph into your personal icon. In the Bottom Left corner, message pop-ups and other information may appear from time to time. There are other HUD features, but these will be unlocked as you progress in this tutorial.]

Quest Received! [Mission Start: Tutorial]

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief as he felt full control return to his body. Eager to test out the features of his HUD, Jaune opened his inventory and took a look. All Jaune currently had was his super comfortable Pumpkin Pete's Onesie. Testing out movement, Jaune walked to his dresser and collected his jeans, tee shirt, limited-edition Pumpkin Pete's hoodie, and a very comfortable pair of socks. He nearly panicked when his Onesie disappeared. Quickly pulling up his inventory, Jaune breathed a sigh of relief when he found his precious pajamas tucked safely in his inventory. They were organized into clearly labeled sections.

"Neat, I'm _awful_ at organizing my stuff! This is fantastic!" Jaune declared. He could use any leg-up in getting the slightest bit organized that he could.

[Quest updated: Head downstairs]

Jaune rolled his eyes as the harrowing new Quest Stage. Truly, this was his greatest trial. Jaune exited his bedroom and headed down the stairs.

His mother, Capucine, was sitting at the dinning room table. "Jaune, you are up! Good morning!"

[Welcome to the Speech Tutorial. As you can see at the bottom center of your HUD, there are numerous options for dialogue. The first option, on the right side of the wheel, is generally a neutral option. These choices tend to be short and basic responses. On the far left, there will be more a confrontational response. At the top of the circle, is a basic inquiry. This asks for more information, but only provide information that the other character would give up freely to anyone. If you wish to leave a conversation immediately, the bottom of your Dialogue Wheel has a standard 'by-your-leave'. If you possess the correct Conversation skills, advanced dialog options such as Inquiry, Flirt, Coerce, Persuade, and a few other options will be displayed. Each conversation option has a set place on your Dialogue Wheel. Select your option and remember...it is never a good idea to talk back to your mom!]

Jaune smiled at his mom and selected the standard 'neutral' response. "Good morning, mom."

Capucine got out of her seat and hugged Jaune. The young man hadn't received a hug from his mother in _months_ from his perspective and eagerly returned the hug. "Oh Jaune, I'm so proud of you. I always knew you would be a Huntsman! I don't ever think you've ever talked about being anything else, Jaune."

"Well," Jaune choked up a bit. "There was that time when I was ten when I wanted to be a comic book writer..."

"That you did," Mrs. Arc agreed. "I think Verte was looking for you. She was playing around her room earlier. I believe she needed her Chevalier..."

"I wouldn't be much of a hero if I didn't help a damsel that has called for aid," Jaune voiced the positive response. He was liking the dialogue wheel as his selection method as it provided a tiny preview of what he would say. Time seemed to slow ever-so-slightly as he choose his options. This, the young gamer thought, was something he could definitely get used to.

[Quest updated: Find and help Verte...]

The 'Chevalier' strolled through the house. He had a feeling where his youngest sister was currently. Verte had a room with great view of the rose garden. Unfortunately for the six year old, various creepy crawlies tended to slip into her room occasionally.

As Jaune expected, Verte was sitting glumly in their dad's office across the hall from her room. "Did milady call for aid?" Jaune announced theatrically after choosing an option that the game informed him was unlocked by his Creativity/Performance skill.

Verte brightened immediately and dashed across the room. "Yay! Jaune! I need your help!"

"Has a monster invaded your castle? A Dragon maybe?" Jaune asked gently.

"Almost as big!" Verte hugged her favorite brother. Granted, Jaune was her _only_ brother, but he was still her favorite. "It is a really scary wasp!"

Jaune selected the 'neutral option' that was summarized as "Leave it to me." Jaune grinned. "I will drive the monster from the princess's castle."

Giving his sister an excessive bow, earning an amused giggle, Jaune stepped into the laundry room and...into another tutorial.

[It is now time for the Combat Tutorial. For the purposes of this battle, you will need to equip the mighty fly swatter and wicker clothes basket lid. Your mighty all conquering weapons will make use of your Longsword Mastery and Shield Mastery skills. Head to the equipment and equip it now.]

Jaune chuckled as he equipped both items. The menu system was easy to navigate and Jaune was very grateful for the limited 'hammer space'. _'Now that I think about it...that does explain Nora...'_

[A word of warning. If you die in the Combat Tutorial, we **will** delete you from existence...]

The Arc Knight raised an eyebrow in a mix of amusement and concern. Shrugging it off as the game attempting to be humorous, Jaune strode into battle.

[Combat in Beacon: Academy is real time. Certain Skills, Semblances, event rewards, and even equipment can unlock Active Abilities that can help turn the tide of battle! There are also Passive Abilities that are always active. These can be unlocked the same way as Active Abilities. You currently have the Active Ability "Rally!" Activating this ability will restore your, and your allies', morale. It also increases damage resistance. Now, defeat the wasp!]

The wasp was sitting on the footboard of Verte's bed. Occasionally, it would flutter its wings. Jaune instinctively knew what has happening.

That little bastard was taunting him.

His wicker basket top was in the proper position to protect him, just as Pyrrha had instructed him, and the Mighty Fly Swatter at the ready. "I am going to end you."

Jaune brought his incomparable weapon down in a vicious swing. He was going for a sudden overwhelming attack. Fortunately, the wasp wasn't a Grimm or even a Rapier Wasp. The insect died with a squelch and barely a second thought. Jaune was man enough to admit that he had superimposed Cinder's face on the wasp. He had taken a great deal of pleasure in that moment of pettiness. Still, the Knight had pretty much made it his mission in life to gut the bitch.

He _had_ wanted to engage in a tirade, a healthy outlet for all that hate bottling up inside, but Jaune was well aware that Verte had her ear pressed against the door. That caused the tirade to wither on the vine for three reasons. First, he didn't want to expose the innocent little girl to _that_ much cursing. And Jaune swore that the first chance he got that he would curse...a lot. One of the main reasons he had turned off the language filter was to fully express his unyielding and undying loathing for Cinder's little band of demons.

 _'Calm down,'_ Jaune sharply ordered to himself.

Second, he didn't want to explain his crazy rantings about the Fall of Beacon to anyone. That could throw everything into the sewers. He had to _get_ to Beacon and really get going as a member of JNPR. It was obvious to Jaune that it was obvious to Ozpin that the Arc's transcripts were fake. Ozpin had turned a blind-eye to the young man's 'inventive' entry to his Academy. Jaune saw no reason to force Ozpin to actually act on the application.

Third, Jaune was absolutely sure he'd let a certain word slip about a certain redheaded demi-goddess who's run on Pumpkin Pete's cereal only started two weeks ago. Jaune wasn't sure he'd survive the teasing...

It was then he noticed one very important detail...

...the game hadn't informed him the Combat Tutorial was complete. Jaune quickly recalled all the combat training and muscle memory from the desperate battles against the Grimm. He dropped to one knee and pulled his wicker basket shield to defend his face.

 _'Good to know I've still got some skill,'_ Jaune commended himself. A pair of very angry wasps had joined the fray. Jaune flipped the basket onto the bed. The sudden flipping stunned the wasps for a second. That second was all Jaune needed to counter-attack. His first swing took out one of the wasps with extreme prejudice.

[You have achieved your first Critical Hit!]

The second wasp quickly turned tail and ran. It slipped through a hole in Verte's window.

[Congratulations! You have survived the Combat Tutorial. We won't have to delete you from existence after all! Soon, you will see your XP gauge fill slightly. The amount the XP gauge fills is based off several factors including, but not limited to, challenge, your current level, whether the encounter progresses a Main or Side Quest line, is a random encounter, or is simply an action that is taken outside of combat or a quest line.]

Jaune hummed at the explanation. He noticed the bar fill up a tiny bit. He hadn't expected much. Jaune had been fighting three freaking wasps. Still, it was probably time to complete this part of, or perhaps all, the quest.

[Quest Updated: Return to Verte and Your mother.]

If Jaune's experience with video games, which now that he thought about it were video games _inside a video game,_ had taught him anything; Verte and his mom would be waiting on the other side of the door for him.

All those 'wasted' hours were rewarded. Verte was holding Capucine's hand. "Well, Jaune, did you slay the beast?"

"Plural, actually," Jaune selected the 'standard' option. He figured it was safe, and given his close relationship with his mom and Verte, and likely humorously warm. "I also found out how they are slipping into the Princess's castle."

Capucine smiled. "That is wonderful news. You have performed well, Chevalier."

"Were they big?" Verte asked nervously.

"The first one was. The other two were smaller. I even managed to scare one off. He probably ran all the way home to tell the others to never invade your room again!"

"But..." Verte started sadly, despite her brother's words. "You're going to Beacon and they'll..."

Jaune flopped onto the ground and sat bow-legged. "That's right. I'm going to Beacon. The barbarians can't do anything to me now. What do you think they'll do when the wasps find out I'm a full fledged Huntsmen?"

"Run further away?" Verte asked.

The Chevalier patted Verte on the head. The young girl loved/hated when her brother did that, but accepted the comforting gesture. "Exactly. Now, I'm going to send messages when I'm at Beacon. Just put those near where the hole used to be. That'll send all the bugs running for their lives."

"Thanks, Jaune," Verte whispered.

Jaune hugged his sister. Capucine cleared her throat to get her children's attention. "Jaune needs to go get ready. Remember, we are celebrating his entry to Beacon. Dad and I have rented the neighborhood pool for an hour."

"Yaaay!" Verte shouted and squirmed free of her brother. She dashed away as her mother and brother smiled.

[Quest Updated: Return to your room.]

 _'Well, that won't be an issue,'_ Jaune chuckled. He strolled into his room. The game protagonist was about to reach into his dresser and grab his swimwear, when the game faded to black.

[Now loading...]

Jaune recovered from the sudden change rather well. He found himself walking, under the games control, into the neighborhood pool. His family had rented it out for an hour, so it would just be Jaune, his parents, and his sisters. The Chevalier was going to take full advantage of his hour. After he departed for Beacon, Jaune would basically be deploying for war. War against the Grimm. War against that asshole White Fang leader that had driven Blake into hiding and taken Yang's arm. War against Cinder. War...war to save Pyrrha and the others from their fate.

But right now, he wasn't going to think about that. He wasn't even going to think of _Pyrrha_ as difficult as that may prove to be in the end. Jaune just wanted to be an Arc for a little while longer. He was happily racing Joncquille in backstroke. Verte and Arum were cheering on their favorite siblings.

Jaune hadn't expected to win, as Joncquille was as determined to be a professional swimmer as Jaune was to being a Huntsman. The fact he wasn't completely embarrassed in the race was an incredible accomplishment.

"Good to see you have been putting all that training for Beacon to good use," Joncquille laughed.

"Well, I can't embarrass the family, now can I?" Jaune teased back.

Joncquille shook her head. "Too late for that. You still wear that onesie."

"Ouch," Jaune replied. _"Ouch."_

"Come on, it's food time," Arum interrupted.

Food sounded great to everyone involved. The Arc children headed back to the main body of the 'brood'. Jaune and Joncquille were struggling to contain Arum and Verte's excitement in check. The two semi-responsible children of Nichol and Capucine Arc, by a miracle, managed to contain their siblings' excitement and get them safely to the table. The conversation was identical to how Jaune remembered it from his first 'playthrough'. However, Jaune had several advantages in this conversation. This time Jaune was far more confident in his ability to actually succeed at Beacon. He also had the dialogue wheel and its very handy 'slow down time' feature that allowed him to weigh his options before speaking. Jaune was loving seeing the positive reactions to his answers. Last time, his family had been proud of his acceptance to Beacon. They just had absolutely no confidence he would last at the school. Of course, they had all been kind and supportive. There just hadn't been any doubt in their minds Jaune would wash out.

This time was different. Joncquille was openly talking about making the Civilian Vytal Tournament. It had almost sent Jaune into a naked screaming panic, but he luckily fell back on the dialogue wheel to contain his terror at the thought. The attack orchestrated by Cinder, Roman and Adam was overwhelming and there had been nearly sixteen thousand civilian deaths, twice as many injured, and another several thousand missing. It chilled Jaune to imagine Joncquille, and undoubtedly the rest of his family, being present during the battle.

 _'Thank Oum, the Maidens, and every other deity-like thing ever for this dialogue wheel...'_ Jaune thought again.

"That...would be fantastic. I would love to see you win that meet," Jaune selected the neutral option. He prayed desperately that his fears would not be realized. Or, in the best case scenario, they could stop Cinder's Faction from even progressing that far.

 _'Yeah, that's wishful thinking,'_ Jaune groused, but found a part of him wanted to see his closest (age-wise) sister achieve her dream.

The meal finished on a slightly less distressing note. Jaune was glad he was prepared for the teasing from his sisters and the hopeful probing from his parents about meeting a girl this time. Jaune was enjoying the time with his family so much more this time around. Yes, Jaune's entry into Beacon was still forged. Still, Ozpin had probably been the only one with a clue. All the hints Jaune had picked up pointed to the other professors buying into his forged transcripts. He could dodge concerns much easier this time.

"Son, I had a few doubts," Nichol Arc announced. "You've put many of them to rest, Jaune."

"Yeah," Magnolia chirped in from the other side of the table. "We're actually all really impressed. Gotta admit, Jaune...when you started working out and everything, we thought you'd last a week. I'm shocked by how it has all turned out for you. I mean, you aren't a gangly twig anymore."

"A week," Jaune repeated.

Verte waved her hands in the air. "I said you'd do it!"

"Let's go swimming again..." Joncquille announced.

That...sounded like code. Still, the happy looks his sisters were radiating made it impossible to say no...

"Jaune Arc!" Magnolia shouted She tossed Jaune one of those Velcro ball catching shields and a foam noodle. "Prepare for combat!"

 **[BOSS BATTLE!]**

"Ah...crap..."

"Get him!" Verte and Arum screamed and began chucking water balloons at Jaune's head. Muscle memory took over. Jaune quickly judged that Verte's throw was going wide left. Arum's throw was a bit more on target. He ducked the throw, but still held his 'shield' to protect his face in the event he hadn't ducked fast enough.

"Fear my Shaolin Foam Noodle of Ultimate Destruction!" Marigold led the next charge alongside Joncquille. Marigold swung high at her crouching brother. Joncquile started her swing low, but arced her strike upwards.

Jaune quickly pulled what he referred "Unfair-because-it's-so-damn-good Pyrrha Maneuver #28". He brought his own Shaolin Foam Noodle of Ultimate Destruction in a downward swing. As Jaune pinned Joncquille's attack, he snapped his 'shield' out just enough to block Marigold's attack.

"The heck!" Joncquille blurted out.

"Yeah, the heck Jaune!" Marigold yelled. "When did you stop being a scrub?"

"Oi!" Jaune laughed. He didn't laugh long. Verte promptly pegged him in the face with a water balloon. Jaune blinked as his HUD showed that his health dropped.

 _'Shit, I need Pyrrha to unlock my Aura...'_

Jaune's 'health' took another hit as Vervain and Aster finally made their presence known with some very high-end water guns.

"Where did you even get those?" Jaune barked as he rose to his feet. Meanwhile, Nichol and Capucine were laughing hysterically at the antics. "Is _everyone_ against me?"

"Yup!" All the sisters said at once.

Magnolia suddenly charged armed with a deadly weapon. Jaune knew he was doomed. With his attention on his parents and their 'betrayal', he definitely couldn't dodge in time. He did, however, have one source of solace.

He was totally taking Magnolia with him.

As the custard pie (Seriously, Magnolia?) hit Jaune's face, the Knight dropped his Shaolin Foam Noodle of Ultimate Destruction and grabbed his eldest sister's arms. He was _right_ at the edge of the pool so he pushed off and jumped. It was incredibly gratifying for Jaune to hear his sister yelp in surprise as they both hit the water.

 **[YOU PIED]**

Jaune laughed as he came up for breath. It seemed that despite being incredibly sadistic, the game _did_ have a tiny sense of humor somewhere. More importantly, the entire family was laughing as they joined Jaune and Magnolia in the water. The Arcs enjoyed their last exclusive fifteen minutes before their rented hour ended. As the pool started to fill back up, the Arc family packed up and headed home.

After Jaune's favorite meal later that night, Jaune was sitting on his house's back porch with his dad. Nichol put a single glass in front of his son.

"Uh, dad, I'm..."

"Celebrating." Nichol filled Jaune's glass. "Besides, I want you to have your first drink with me so you don't go crazy."

Jaune smiled and downed the drink in one go. The smile quickly faded and was replaced by a hacking grimace. "What the hell was _that?"_

"Alcohol," Nichol answered with practiced flippancy.

"That could be weaponized to kill Grimm! It could probably drop a Goliath!" Jaune sputtered. Part of his mind was picturing Ruby in Mad Scientist Gear cackling as she developed a new shell to feed into her beloved Crescent Rose.

Nichol laughed. "Probably." He fished in a nearby cooler and grabbed a soda. Nichol tossed it to his son before shrugging his shoulders. "Jaune, you've been accepted to Beacon. I'd say that makes you officially a man. A man deserves honesty, especially from his father."

"Uh, thanks?" Jaune wasn't sure what his dad was getting at, but he definitely appreciated the sentiment. This was somewhat like the original conversation, but the tone was different.

"Don't thank me yet," Nichol said with a smile. "I doubted you. Even after you got the letter, I wasn't sure how long you would last. I was fully prepared to wish you luck, but expect you back in three months. Then I saw you train. Jaune, you're carrying yourself in a way I've never seen before. I know you are determined, confident, and proud. So, I still expect to see you in three months. It'll just be a visit for a week and I'm sure you're going to make Verte and your mother cry when you head back to Beacon."

Jaune simply stood, crossed the distance, and hugged his dad. "Thank you."

"Get some sleep. Can't have you miss your flight," Nichol said as he returned the hug. "Next time you're at home, I'll give you a drink that isn't complete Ursa piss."

"I would like that, but..." Jaune said, separating. "I think the Ursa piss would taste better than whatever the hell that was..."

"Get some rest, son," Nichol repeated.

Jaune nodded and trudged up to his room. The physical effort was almost nonexistent, but Jaune's heart was about to jump out of his chest, run the distance to Beacon, and start following Pyrrha, Ren and Nora, and Team RWBY around like a puppy. That wasn't an option, but he was almost drunk on the sheer excitement of the second chance. He was smiling as he flopped on his bed.

"This is it. I don't care if this is a game. It is my _real._ I can't wait to be back with JNPR..."

[The game is preparing to autosave. Your personal icon will appear on the Journal. While this Icon is flashing, do not exit the game or commit suicide. Autosave in progress...]

Jaune raised an eyebrow, but expected oddball shit like that from PNKE. Still, he fell asleep quickly and dreamed of red hair.

The next morning was a whirlwind of goodbyes, Verte basically welding herself to his waist begging him not to go, and Joncquille declaring she was going to win her events at the Vytal Games. Jaune had no doubts of his sister's abilities. Verte, Capucine, Arum, and Magnolia were all crying as Jaune boarded the Airship.

 _'This is it. This is it,'_ Jaune repeated as he boarded the airship. He was going to reunite with Pyrrha. He was going to...

[Pyrrha Nikos has entered the game! Would you like to enable co-op?]

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Here we go! This is my first attempt at the ever popular Gamer-inspired quasi-crossover. As mentioned in the poll, this is primarily Arkos focused. There _will_ eventually be "Landarkos" or Jaune/Pyrrha/Blake/Ruby, but the primary focus _will_ be Arkos. A couple of pointers...

I'm not going to bring up stats, skills, etc in story all that often. I don't want number crunching and min-maxing to get in the way of the story. I **do** have character sheets for both Pyrrha and Jaune. The stats are all taken from the Warhammer 40,000 pen and paper RPGs. The stats are Weapon Skill (how well they swing a melee weapon), Ballistic Skill (how accurate they are shooting or throwing things), Strength (duh), Toughness (how well they can take a hit), Agility (Reflexes/quickness), Intelligence (smarts), Perception (Do you know what's going on?), Willpower (duh), and Fellowship (Can you get along with people?). I also have the character sheet for both Jaune and Pyrrha set up.

Again, while these stats exist, they aren't a focus. Consider them more flavor for the story than anything. If y'all are really interested, I'm sure I can work something out to share them.

Feel free to ask questions in a review, reach out to me on Discord, etc. I hope you all enjoy this fic.

 **Final Shoutouts/etc :** First off, thank you to Racellos for beta'ing this chapter and suggesting the title. I owe you one man. Now, some of you are wondering why I warned y'all about Author Bashing. Well, PNKE is the SI team consisting of myself, Nexus Bladeguard, Dread Knight N7, and Lord Farsight. They've appeared previously in Dirty Laundry. The joke is mainly aimed at me since I'm the jackass who wrote this fic!

Anyway, hope y'all enjoy! The next chapter is already complete and will be posted next Friday!


	2. Ready Player 2: Pyrrha Nikos!

Pyrrha Nikos had mourned long enough. She was still a tempest of negative emotions that, had she been alive and in possession of a physical body, would have attracted every single Grimm from the length and breadth of Remnant to her location.

 _'Had my entire life been some kind of lie?'_ Pyrrha wondered as the impossible vista of a pristine and untouched Beacon Academy drifted past her perception as if it were on a television or computer screen.

' _I have mourned enough,'_ Pyrrha issued a command to herself.

The mantra repeated in her head. This new clarity allowed her to finally assess her situation in a rational manner. After her death at the hands of Cinder, Pyrrha Nikos had quite honestly lost her mind. Her spirit had railed against the taunting image of a pristine Beacon Academy and what appeared to be a video game menu. Eventually, she had been simply...shut down. Through it all, time had lost all meaning and Pyrrha had been adrift.

Slowly, Pyrrha was coming to her senses. The 'cursor' had been flashing over 'New Game' for so long that a single pinprick of hope had been born. New Game meant new chances. That pinprick had become larger over time. Pyrrha had finally accepted that it was time to give having a new life a chance. The thought of seeing her friends again provided a measure of excitement. The thought of seeing _Jaune_ again created a warmth in the core of her being. There were so many steps Pyrrha could take to make sure the her loved ones got the happy ending they deserved. She knew the truth about Penny and Mercury Black. Those two details would allow her to use her Semblance to protect both Penny and Yang from the tragedy unleashed by Cinder. Pyrrha had confidence in her loved ones would not have given up. The Mistral champion wanted to use her second chance to give JNPR and RWBY every opportunity to defeat Cinder, the White Fang, and the Grimm.

How a spirit without a body could choose an option in what looked like a video game was a thought Pyrrha did not dwell on.

A sudden flash of curiosity stayed Pyrrha's hand. "I wonder," Pyrrha stated out loud, both in genuine curiosity and a desperate desire for some sound to fill the unnatural quiet. "What exactly 'settings' are?"

Scrolling down, Pyrrha entered the settings menu. It was quite unnerving to see the stark void of the menu outside of the various selectable options.

Pyrrha was well aware of her near-complete ignorance of all things video game related. She was still aware that video games were capable of being saved so that a player could come back to finish the game later, or at least keep their progress. The "Iron Man" setting seemed to disable the ability to let the game automatically save. That was...not good. She reactivated autosave quickly. The default setting for autosave was every time she went to bed. Again, Pyrrha was a video game novice, but that felt perfectly reasonable. Her attention drifted up the Difficulty section of the options. Opponent Combat speed was set to 150%?

"I never noticed..." Pyrrha mused with a bit of awe. She could not deny the swell of pride that washed through her...being at that moment. Vaguely, she imagined that had she a body the warmth would fill her chest. This single moment had done more to restore Pyrrha's self-confidence and self-worth than any amount of trying to grasp tightly on to the happy memories of others.

She had been faced with unbelievable obstacles. Pyrrha hadn't just overcome these obstacles, but for the most part Pyrrha had _conquered_ the obstacles.

"I'm going to keep that setting!" The Mistral Champion declared. It was a point of pride that Pyrrha had been so successful against this default setting.

That didn't mean she would leave experience growth set at 50%. Once, Pyrrha had overheard Ruby and Jaune talking about "Remnant: The Game" and how valuable earning and spending Experience Points was for success. The low setting made Pyrrha realize she had been 'gimped', to borrow a term from Nora, and a change was absolutely necessary.

"One Hundred percent growth will be a huge advantage," Pyrrha decided. Again, she fell back on the sense of pride birthed from her successes against the combat difficulty. A few tweaks and perhaps even Cinder could be defeated!

The last setting was 'tutorials'. There was a moment were the Hoplite considered leaving them off, but it was but a moment. Pyrrha was at a complete loss when it came to anything video game related. Her life, as it turned out, _was_ a video game. It couldn't hurt to get a few pointers. A flip of the cursor turned this particular setting back on.

Pyrrha, had she still possessed eyes, would have blinked in a mix of confusion and shock at the next set of options: "Immersion". The game start was set to _conception._ Pyrrha enjoyed her life and, for the most part, would like the chance to relive some of her happier moments and correct a few minor quibbles. However, her focus was on correcting her mistakes and eliminating her hesitation with Jaune _and_ her nemesis the False Fall Maiden.

"Let's see what the other choices are," Pyrrha whispered. The next option was "Combat School Acceptance". Her time at Sanctum was successful from a training perspective, but very lonely. Beacon was the first time she had ever made real friends. Pyrrha moved over to the next option: "Beacon Acceptance".

"This is a grand choice!" Pyrrha announced. That would reunite her with Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Team RWBY much quicker. That option was far more agreeable than the others. Pleased with her choice, she moved to the next option. "What's a HUD?"

Fortunately, the people, entity, or deity that created this game had the courtesy to include a tooltip feature. Pyrrha held the cursor over the option for a moment and received an explanation on the Heads Up Display. The Champion of Mistral realized this feature would be very useful and turned it fully on.

"I...I was never in control of my own life," Pyrrha whispered, overwhelmed.

The game was choosing her words. She had no control over her words and many actions. There were so many points in her life that suddenly were now questionable ranging from accepting her first sponsorship (which was little more than a semi-exploitative gravure shoot), not confessing to Jaune instead of giving him advice to court Weiss, and finally blindly accepting the mandate to become the Fall Maiden. Pyrrha had screamed at the universe why she had failed to retreat into the safety of Jaune's trust and simply _tell him_ what Ozpin had wanted her to become.

Now, she had an answer. The last of her melancholy and mournful emotions were burned away in the forge of her anger.

She selected "Full Dialogue Control" and flipped through the options. A pop-up window gave her a preview of what the various possibilities entailed. The 'List' option was the most comprehensive. After the travesty of having her free-will curtailed, Pyrrha Nikos would accept nothing less than complete control over her own actions. Her pride, anger, and soul were all soothed by the simple act of confirming that she was in full control of her interactions with others.

"I wonder what the next settings are," Pyrrha hummed to herself. "Oh."

Her previous calm was once again burnt away. In her previous life, or game as it were, she had longed to confess to Jaune and...well...Had Pyrrha still possessed blood flow, she would have blushed at the thought. Alas, the cruel force that had set up some of the other options wished to continue to toy with Pyrrha.

All sexual content was completely disabled. If Pyrrha _had_ control of her voice, her efforts would have not been completely in vain. She would have missed out on something that she had craved as both a physical _need_ and the ultimate expression of a bond with Jaune. This game, or the settings at the very least, had a cruel edge. Pyrrha was _very_ curious about who had decided to indulge in such rampant sadism. She had been _completely_ serious when she offered to break Cardin's legs for Jaune. However, she was willing to go towards a far darker place if she encountered the Grimm-like creators of this monstrosity. It was the same well of vengeful anger she had only attributed to Cinder.

Reactivating full sexual content was one of the easiest decisions she ever made.

The next option made her pause. Pyrrha had never been fond of foul language. It always seemed excessive, unnecessary, and people trying to sound mature (but failing). There were times were it was a realistic reaction.

 _'I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a little bit occasionally..."_ The Mistral Champion thought as she set the language filter to 'medium'. She was a mature young woman. She could handle a few bits of foul language here and there!

"Who is JJ Abrams?" Pyrrha asked with a humming tone as she switched lens flares to 'Sane'.

It was odd that altering a series of video game options which controlled her entire life. However, Pyrrha could not deny the incredible sense of redemption, accomplishment, and freedom such simple yet profound actions birthed.

"I'm coming back," Pyrrha declared. "We'll all be together again. Jaune...we won't have to wait this time..."

As the champion, formerly dubbed 'The Invincible Girl' by friend and foe alike, returned to the main menu; a strange urge overtook her and led to the delay of starting her life's journey over again. Pyrrha decided to uncover the agents behind the strange form of madness her reality had been revealed as.

"Team PNKE," Pyrrha _shouted_ in shock. " _That_ PNKE?"

The young woman decided there was a second team on her 'Break their legs' list. Pyrrha had no desire to view any of the other creators of the game. She had never been one for technical minutiae. Of all her friends, only Ruby would likely be interested in the individuals behind the engineering of this rather absurd project.

It was finally time. There was no need for further delay any longer. Pyrrha could feel her excitement and even trepidation building as the cursor finally settled on the "New Game" option. The image of Beacon Academy rotated one last time before the camera rushed through the opening chasm that was Beacon's main entrance.

The first thing Pyrrha experienced was the welcome feeling of water surrounding her body and the soreness in her muscles being relaxed away by the heat. Pyrrha sank deeper into the tub, reveling in the simple truth that she was _alive again._

[Welcome to Remnant: Academy! You are about to embark on an adventure that defies your expectations. Before you begin your quest to save Beacon from the Grimm, White Fang, and the Ultimate Evil that threatens humanity and Faunus-kind, you will need to create your character's avatar!]

Pyrrha gasped as the pop-up reminded her that her existence wasn't completely under her own control. The game took control of her actions and Pyrrha felt herself being pulled from the tub. If she had remained in control, Pyrrha would have loved to remain in the hot water to enjoy the sensation of simply _existing_ again.

Instead, she was marched to the mirror. The Mistral Champion smiled as _her_ reflection was staring back at her.

[Now it is time to create your character's avatar. Follow the prompts to finalize your appearance!]

A pair of icons around the words 'Default Female' appeared beneath Pyrrha's reflection. "Default?"

Curiosity overcame Pyrrha. She focused on the right facing arrow and willed it to be used.

"What have I done?" Pyrrha cried out in a voice that was far too deep. The face staring back in shock wasn't her! Her hair was practically gone and existed only in a very militaristic crew cut. In fact, Pyrrha wasn't even a her anymore! The flashing icon declared that she was currently in the 'Default Male' form. Pyrrha's form was chiseled and very handsome. The eyes were harsh and piercing. Pyrrha was an arena fighter. This was the face of a soldier.

There was more, though. The Default Male form was actually quite similar to how Pyrrha pictured a hypothetical twin brother, something she had dearly wished for as a child, would have looked. Gulping, she switched back to Default Female. _Her face_ was now inhabiting the mirror's reflection.

' _I'm never messing with this again...'_ She thought fearfully. Pyrrha had been _proud_ of her natural appearance. It was _her_. The thought of changing on a whim honestly terrified her. Pyrrha had spent so long as a disembodied spirit that being able to see her reflection was a comfort. There was also the fact that she couldn't predict how Jaune and her friends would react to a new physical appearance.

No, she was Pyrrha Nikos and a proud woman. _'I am who I am.'_

[Confirm Appearance?]

"Yes," Pyrrha announced with such utter conviction and finality that she felt as if she could take down her most hated enemy _right now._

[Now, you will need to finalize your character! Your default class is 'Hoplite'. Would you like to view the character sheet?]

Pyrrha assumed that she had been a 'Hoplite' in her first life. She had been successful as that 'class' of person. There was also the fact the flame-tressed warrior was terrified of altering any of the defaults after the incident with her appearance.

"Let's see," Pyrrha whispered as she activated the 'yes' icon that was hovering in her field of vision.

The first two skill sets related to her mastery of Spear-rifle and Hoplon Shield. If Pyrrha had to guess, the game likely put her 'upgrades' into her weapon skills. It would certainly explain some of the feats she had accomplished previously. A single bracketed word caught her attention.

"Why is something redacted? Wasn't Cinder in charge of everything?"

That was quite the troubling development. She would have to try to uncover the identity behind the person, group, or abomination behind [Redacted].

Her Semblance was a familiar and welcome sight. It was a reflection of her soul. The thought of not unlocking her Semblance was completely alien to her. Jaune's reluctance to investigate his Semblance had been one of the great mysteries about her love. _'_ _Though, if Jaune was under the same restrictions in the game that I was...perhaps the game wouldn't allow him to unlock his_ _Semblance_ _? Maybe his settings were identical to mine?'_

Mollified for the moment, Pyrrha continued to explore her options.

"Conversation..." Pyrrha hummed. _That_ was a skill she was unlocking immediately. She was going to flirt with Jaune. She was going to investigate the situation surrounding the Maidens, that horrid bitch Cinder, and sass tag-team CRDL with Blake. Pyrrha actually smiled at the memories of playing off Blake's dry humor. They had put CRDL in their place several times and teased Yang to no end. The memories of seeing **all** her friends again warmed her heart. RWBY and the rest of JNPR were treasures. Each one of them was a true friend, and in some ways, more of a family to Pyrrha than anyone outside of her parents. Uncles, cousins, and even her nephews were more attached to the fame of the Invincible Girl than to Pyrrha Nikos; their own flesh and blood.

It was a sly coincidence that the next skill line was 'Creativity/Performance'. If Pyrrha was a wagering woman, she would have put money on the game maxing out this list of skills. While the 'Mastery' had caused Pyrrha's isolation, the knowledge that she was combating the Creatures of Grimm with her very presence was a something she could gladly take solace from.

Pyrrha blinked as she looked over the next skill line. It was...oddly specific. The game had assigned at least one skill point in 'By my shoulder...' as Pyrrha had unlocked Jaune's Aura. She was very intrigued by this skill line as it seemed to be based around standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Jaune in combat. Yes, the skill line simply mentioned partner or lover. Pyrrha knew that Jaune _would_ be her partner. The Mistralian champion was going to try her damnedest to make sure Jaune became her lover as well.

"Huh, that fit," Pyrrha thought out loud. That was her second curse word ever. She was pleased with her decision to loosen the language filter.

Pyrrha scrolled down and reviewed the training skill line. The video game terms were going above her head still, but the effects were fairly obvious. As one of her goals was to help Jaune unlock his near unlimited potential, this would have to be a skill line she made progress on.

Pyrrha wasn't sure if she would invest in Driving/Piloting. The skill line wasn't exactly useless. It was just that Pyrrha had no real interest in driving or piloting. Herbalist was a curiosity. Again, Pyrrha doubted that she would pursue that line. Still, it was higher on her list than driving.

"This last skill seems quite useful," Pyrrha whispered. The ambient noise around her wasn't quite enough to fill the unnatural void her previous situation had submerged her in so deeply.

Tracking was the most practical of the final skills. A lot of her skills seemed to be based on support and aiding those closest to her in battle and on missions.

It was all quite fitting. Hoplites fought in a phalanx and supporting the shield wall was crucial. This was _her._

[Do you wish to be The Hoplite? Hoplite is an advanced character class recommended only for combat experts.]

Happily, Pyrrha selected 'Confirm'. The warning had not deterred her in the least. In fact, the warning only served to fill her with pride. The previous life had been lived with the odds firmly conspiring against her, and for the most part Pyrrha had been incredibly successful!

[You are the Hoplite, a warrior who has the strength to stand on your own, but holds the line with others! As you have selected to begin your game shortly before beginning your Huntsmen career at Beacon Academy, you begin at Level 5. The game will now randomly generate your stats starting from a base of 25. The system will apply your initial stat upgrades up to Level 5. Future level ups will give you the option of allowing the computer to select three stats to upgrade or for you to manually chose which stats to upgrade. As for skills...]

Pyrrha's 'Heads up Display' flashed into existence for a moment. The game froze and the book in the corner of the screen opened. It filled Pyrrha's perception and flipped over to the 'Character Sheet' tab.

[This is your stats page. The currently highlighted section are your stats. To give you an idea, the average civilian averages a score of 15 for all stats. A Hunter averages 40. Weapon Skill determines how well you wield a melee weapon. Ballistic Skill measures your ability to aim ranged weapons. The other stats affect your physical and mental abilities. Strength also determines your physical appearance. A stronger character's appearance will be represented by the usual physical cues. Selected Skills will appear below. Now, it is time to select and generate your skills.]

Pyrrha chewed her lip as she tried to take stock of the numbers visible on her character sheet. Her physical stats were well above average. In fact, her agility was incredibly high, well over twenty points higher than average. All of her stats were above average, but she was disappointed in her will power and fellowship scores were both her lowest. That was quite the hit to her confidence.

' _I will have to improve those...'_ Pyrrha thought. A higher will power stat would be crucial to handling the situation with Ozpin, General Ironwood and the others regarding the Fall Maiden in a more successful manner.

The game quickly reasserted control and moved to Pyrrha's skill page.

[As you can see, Hoplites begin with Milo Mastery 2, Akoúo̱ Mastery 1, and Semblance Level 1. You will earn a new skill every two levels earned. However! Before we allow you to select the two skills earned by your current level of 5, there will be a quick questionnaire. You can earn additional skills or stat increases depending on your answers! Let's begin!]

This was a great opportunity for improvement! Pyrrha eagerly awaited the first question.

[First: Battles between hoplites were traditionally fought in five stages. Ephodos, where battle hymns and war cries were used to intimidate the enemy and inspire allies. Krousis, where the phalanxes met. The strongest, both mentally and physically, were on the front lines where they could make sure their allies were protected during this phase. Next was Doratismos were vicious spear attacks were used to disrupt the enemy formation. Othismos was the next stage where spears had been broken and the two sides pushed against each other in a test of endurance. Finally, Pararrhexis saw the enemy phalanx breached and the enemy scattered. Which role would you fill in the ancient battlefields of Anima?]

Pyrrha carefully weighed each option. She would _hope_ she could inspire her friends, but bringing out the best in people had always been Jaune's and Ruby's strength. Pyrrha had also favored quick decisive victories, but had never liked running down defeated enemies unless they were Grimm. That came down to Krousis and Doratismos as options. She nearly selected Doratismos, but started to think in terms of what would be best for her stats as a video game character. Her attacks would likely come quick and hit hard due to her very good agility and strength stats. However, the wording of Krousis implied that it may cover some of her stat weaknesses with a bonus if she chose it…

[You are a bulwark to your allies! You choose to inspire through deeds not words! Akoúo̱ Mastery 2 and +5 Willpower unlocked!]

"That is grand!" Pyrrha exclaimed.

[When you are not hunting the Creatures of Grimm, studying to succeed in Beacon's Academic classes, what would you be doing with your free time if you could choose one of the following? 1)I would be preparing first aid for my teammates! I know I can't keep them from being hurt, but I want to help them recover quickly! 2)I would be chasing everybody that catches my fancy! I mean, have you seen some of the students at Beacon! 3)I would own the dance floor. Everything is combat at Beacon, and I plan on being undefeated in Combat Class **and** in Dance Battles.]

Pyrrha laughed at the last option. The memory of JNPR's rather spontaneous dance routine was easily one of her most treasured moments of her previous life. She was going to pick that options, in hopes of having another chance at such a blissful memory, but there was no denying the first choice was appealing. As she had eyes for only Jaune, option two lacked any hold over her.

[You have sick moves. Your Weapon Skill and Agility increase by three and you have unlocked Creativity/Performance 1!]

Once again, Pyrrha giggled at the sense of humor the game possessed. _'Maybe I'll only break_ one _leg each for Team PNKE over all this...'_

[It is time to finalize your character, class, and skills. As mentioned previously, you gain a new skill every two Levels. However, as you are just starting your epic quest (for loot...) to save Remnant from the Dark Forces threatening Human and Faunus alike, you will receive one additional skill. Please select the skills now.]

There was absolutely no hesitation on Pyrrha's part. The first option she used a skill point on was Conversation. Hopefully, she would not have to invest much in this skill line. All she needed was the ability to be just a tad bit forward with Jaune. If she had more control, Pyrrha was confident that she and Jaune would have been 'together-together' by the Beacon Dance.

Training Jaune had been a beautiful bonding experience between the partners. Pyrrha quickly invested a point in Training. She absolutely had to invest a skill point in "By My Shoulder..." in order to unlock Jaune's Aura. Satisfied with her skill selection, Pyrrha selected "Confirm".

[Are you sure?]

"I am ready to live _my_ life this time," Pyrrha declared to her reflection in the mirror, the game, and everyone who had sought to control and destroy her previously.

[Let's take a moment to introduce you to your HUD. In the top right, there are two gauges; your Vitality Gauge and your Aura Gauge. Vitality tracks physical health. The Aura gauge is identical to the function on a standard Scroll. The bottom right corner is your compass. If a Horde of Grimm approach, the Compass will flash red three times and a chime will play. Now, the icon in the upper left pulls up your Journal. The Journal has numerous tabs for inventory, Skill Table, Character Stats, and Active Quests. Also, when the Game is Autosaving, the Journal morph into your personal icon. In the Bottom Left corner, message pop-ups and other information may appear from time to time. There are other HUD features, but these will be unlocked as you progress in this tutorial.]

 **Quest Received! [Misson Start: Tutorial]**

The slight pressure that had been holding Pyrrha in place as the game made its finale adjustments was finally released. Pyrrha stretched so much that she ended up standing on her toes. A hopeful smile adorned her lips as her second chance began. The fading letters in her vision reminded her that she was living quite the unconventional second life. She had always learned better by doing, and promptly opened her 'Journal' with a thought. She reviewed her character sheet once more. The dealings with her sponsors and the press had taught her to review everything. Next on her 'to do' list was review her inventory.

Which was empty…

...because she was still naked.

"I'll check that later..." Pyrrha whispered. She flipped the tab to 'Active Quests' and was pleased to see how well everything was organized. In fact, the layout of the 'Active Quests' tab had options that could adjust the view of the tab to appear like Pyrrha's favorite day planner. Pleased with the layout, additional information provided, and general handiness, Pyrrha exited, but was disappointed she couldn't put a reminder to break PNKE's legs for sexualizing her so blatantly.

Pyrrha quickly headed to the display rack where her armor and other clothes were laid out. Remembering from the 'Active Quests' tab/day planner that today was the finals of an exhibition tournament for the latest elections to the Mistral Council, Pyrrha slowly donned her armor. The familiar weight and feel of the armor was welcome. There was an issue, however. While it had certainly captured Jaune's attention when they became partners, the armor had not been adequate against Cinder.

' _Perhaps I could commission an upgrade after Initiation...'_ Pyrrha considered.

A smile was unavoidable as Pyrrha recovered Milo. She quickly called Akoúo̱ to her hands with her Semblance. The simple familiar actions nearly caused Pyrrha to cry tears of relief and joy.

[Quest updated: Head to the training room.]

Pyrrha was wondering why she was heading to the training room _after_ bathing, but this was a video game made by PNKE…

Pushing aside those thoughts, Pyrrha followed the game's instructions. She wandered through the halls of the arena's 'Combatant Area' with a frown forming on her face. Pyrrha was well aware of the conversation that was looming once she reached the training room. There was a wellspring of curiosity at how the game would handle everything.

' _I wonder how selecting options will work in real time. I hope it doesn't make me seem indecisive, nervous, or slow...'_

The door opened with a creak and Pyrrha took a step inside. Her father and mother were waiting for her.

"Ah, Pyrrha. I hope your break was relaxing!" Her father greeted warmly. Pyrrha, despite knowing the coming conversation couldn't help but smile at the care in her father's tone.

[Welcome to the Speech Tutorial. As you can see at the bottom center of your HUD, there are numerous options for dialogue. The first option, at the top of the list, is generally a neutral option. These choices tend to be short and basic responses. Next, there will be more a confrontational response. Third, is a basic inquiry. This asks for more information, but only provide information that the other character would give up freely to anyone. If you wish to leave a conversation immediately, the very bottom of your Dialogue List has a standard 'by-your-leave'. If you possess the correct Conversation skills, advanced dialog options such as Inquiry, Flirt, Coerce, Persuade, and a few other options will be displayed. Each conversation option has a set place on your Dialogue List. Select your option...and good luck.]

Time nearly stopped, but unlike the earlier character creation period, Pyrrha was still in complete control. The list of conversation options appeared at the bottom of Pyrrha's vision. The first option was a standard reaction. One was a question: 'Is it time for my match?'. There was also an option that was shockingly rude. She couldn't believe that was even a choice available to her! Pyrrha would never dream of selecting so horrid!

"Hello father. Hello mother," Pyrrha said after selecting the safest option from the list. "It was quite relaxing."

"That is fantastic," Pyrrha's mother responded with a clap of the hands. "Are you looking forward to your match?"

"Yes, I am," Pyrrha once again selected a neutral option.

Thálassa smiled. "There are so many people here to watch you. Everyone in Mistral is inspired by your skill."

"Yes," Kassíteros said with practiced diplomacy. "Headmaster Lionheart has asked to meet with you."

Quickly scrolling down the list, Pyrrha selected 'Inquiry'. "Why is he so determined to keep me at Haven? I've never met someone so adamant. I was...shocked...by how forceful he became last time."

In the previous attempt at life, Pyrrha had been less overt and far more polite in her response. Hopefully, this response would drive her concerns home a bit more obviously. If Pyrrha got some additional information, fantastic. If she did not, she still drove home her point. This was a fine course of action, Pyrrha decided.

[Partial Success.] Pyrrha frowned at the pop-up. She wasn't concerned about showing too much reaction to the game, as it would play into her ploy with her parents. The champion also noticed a bar filling slightly at the bottom of her perception.

"How forceful?" Thálassa gasped. "Did it go beyond a matter of national pride?"

Scrolling down, Pyrrha chose the "Maybe..." option. It was a single word, but it would allow her parents to make their own conclusions.

"We weren't aware..." Kassíteros said with resignation. "I believe I'm going to have to support you going to Beacon after all..."

Pyrrha smiled. "Thank you! I don't want to cause problems for you with the Ministry, but I really feel that attending Beacon will be a fresh start for me!"

"But..." Thálassa started.

Quickly selecting 'Cut-off/Persuasion', Pyrrha interjected with, "I have heard Weiss Schnee will be attending Beacon..."

"Of the SDC?" Thálassa quickly queried. "Well...I believe that would be a strong, positive connection you could establish at Beacon."

' _Connection,'_ Pyrrha thought glumly. _'Not friendship, connection. Always about advancement...never about me...'_

"Of course," Pyrrha answered.

"Well," Kassíteros said after a moment. "We should leave you to your warm-ups."

[Quest updated: Begin Combat Tutorial.]

Pyrrha's parents exited the room and Pyrrha turned her attention to the simple, and rather clumsy, training robot in the corner.

[It is now time for the Combat Tutorial. Please equip Milo and Akoúo̱ and engage the Training Robot.]

Pyrrha entered a standard guard and transformed Milo into 'her' Javelin form.

[A word of warning. If you die in the Combat Tutorial, we **will** delete you from existence…]

"W-What?" Pyrrha squawked.

[Combat in Beacon: Academy is real time. Certain Skills, Semblances, event rewards, and even equipment can unlock Active Abilities that can help turn the tide of battle! There are also Passive Abilities that are always active. These can be unlocked the same way as Active Abilities. You currently have no active abilities. Now, defeat the Training Robot!]

The robot lumbered forward. These contraptions had always been slow. In fact, Pyrrha had always considered them a waste of time. However, she received as many as she wanted from a Sponsor. It was always nice to have a few on hand.

Pyrrha furrowed her brow as she stepped to the outside of a clumsy vertical swing. _'Why didn't I have some of these sent to Beacon?'_

Blaming the game stripping her of free will, Pyrrha decided that was going to be a change for this go-through. She quickly aimed a thrust at a chink in the robot's rather laughable armor. It struck true and Pyrrha was rewarded with a popup in her vision.

[You have achieved your first Critical Hit!]

Pyrrha grinned at the announcement.

[Congratulations! You have survived the Combat Tutorial. We won't have to delete you from existence after all! Soon, you will see your XP gauge fill slightly. The amount the XP gauge fills is based off several factors including, but not limited to, challenge, your current level, whether the encounter progresses a Main or Side Quest line, is a random encounter, or is simply an action that is taken outside of combat or a quest line. You have earned double experience because of your flawless victory.]

"That is wonderful!" Pyrrha said as she sheathed Milo and guided Akoúo̱ to her back with her Semblance.

[Quest Updated: Head to the arena locker room.]

The next stage of the 'quest' seemed simply enough. Pyrrha dutifully followed the instructions and made her way to the arena locker room. The door opened...and the world faded to black.

[Now loading…]

Pyrrha nearly yelped as the sudden transition from opening the locker room door to the roaring crowds of the arena. Still, Pyrrha was no stranger to the arenas of Mistral, Windpath, and Kuchinashi. Akoúo̱ and Milo found their way to her hands with a showy flourish that drove the crowd into a frenzy. Her opponent, Guriin Sentou-Ki, saluted Pyrrha. The defending Champion raised Milo in return. That was the signal. Combat had begun. Guriin was very aggressive against his younger opponent. His weapons, a naginata-flamethrower combination let loose with a gout of flame. Eager to test some of her new abilities, Pyrrha channeled a bit of Aura into her shield. She was pleased when the flame was turned aside far more easily than expected. Pyrrha pushed off the ground with a powerful leap and flipped over her opponent. A flurry of blows aimed at Guriin's outstretched arm, his shoulder, and his back all landed. The slashes did a bit of damage to Pyrrha's opponent and his Aura. The attack was mostly to keep him off balance and make sure she was in perfect position.

Which she was.

The game paused unexpectedly. If Pyrrha had not been frozen, the shock would have caused her to tumble.

[You have activated a weapon or ability with a "Cool Down" for the first time. Certain weapons, abilities, or effects have a "Cool Down" period. As you invest in perks, achieve quest or event chain rewards, or secure new equipment, the "Cool Down" time can be shortened or even eliminated!]

Pyrrha was grateful that her actions carried through the pause as Milo quickly switched to its rifle form and barked out a trio of shots. The crowd roared yet again as the shots hit home. The pop-up info again let Pyrrha know the 'cool down' had passed.

Milo shifted almost immediately to Javelin form and Pyrrha launched another attack as Guriin Sentou-Ki turned to face Pyrrha's next assault. Guriin jumped at Pyrrha, trying to at least land a blow. Pyrrha quickly feinted and forced Guriin to block low. The real strike was aimed high and landed true in his chest. Pyrrha recalled the benefits of Milo Mastery 2 and used the recoil of Milo's rifle form to add more damage to her strike.

Guriin was down.

Pyrrha had won. _'_ _Is this really 150% Opponent Combat Speed?'_ She was now curious to see just how life would progress if the setting for Opponent Combat Speed was set to 50%. _'That is a question for another time...'_

The announcer declared Pyrrha the winner. She extended a hand to help Guriin up and the slightly older Kuroyuri refugee accepted graciously.

"Excellent fight," Pyrrha quickly selected the first neutral option.

"Not quite excellent enough..." Guriin laughed. "Hey. Maybe later, we could..."

Pyrrha smiled tenderly, but it was a smile of polite refusal. She quickly scrolled by the choice that would have accepted the unspoken request for a date. Pyrrha couldn't believe the flirty answer was so blatant in implying an...encounter. Guriin seemed like a very nice young man and was actually fairly handsome.

But he wasn't Jaune.

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha quickly answered. "I'll be leaving for Beacon in the morning."

"Eh, kinda figured that would be the answer," Sentou-Ki said with a mirthless laugh. "But if I didn't ask, I didn't have a chance."

"Well said, Guriin."

The combatant nodded. "Good luck, 'Invincible Girl'."

"Thank you," Pyrrha once again chose the neutral, but polite answer. A small part of her had been tempted to choose the cross option of "That is not my name." However, that would have caused a scene and Pyrrha had no wish to alienate a nice guy like Guriin. Cinder _was_ out there and RWBY and JNPR would need all the allies they could call to their cause. Guriin was talented and could be an asset.

[Now loading…]

Pyrrha found herself back in her locker room. Sighing, she turned to face the door. Someone was knocking and Pyrrha knew _exactly_ who was on the other side.

"Who is it?" Pyrrha called out.

"Miss Nikos, it is Professor Lionheart. May I come in?" The voice carried through the door. Pyrrha sighed and selected the non-confrontational choice. "Thank you, Miss."

"How may I help you, Professor?" Pyrrha asked the neutral, non-inquiry option.

Lionheart straightened his bronze and cream armored cassock uniform. "I would like to ask one last time for you to reconsider attending Beacon and enroll at Haven Academy. You would be a _queen."_

"Perhaps, Professor," Pyrrha selected the forceful answer. "I do not wish to be a queen. Perhaps, for the first time in my life...I simply wish to be Pyrrha Nikos. I do not wish to be anyone's poster child. I do not wish to be held up as _propaganda_."

Pyrrha could not believe how amazingly satisfying such a forceful answer had proven to be. This new ability to be truly assertive was incredible. Her confidence swelled and there was a stronger sense of accomplishment in her breast than her recent match victory.

"You truly cannot be dissuaded?"

"No, Professor," Pyrrha answered firmly. _'Nothing will keep me away from Jaune. Nothing will keep me away from my most cherished people.'_

"So be it," Lionheart acquiesced with a bow. "Good luck at Beacon, Miss Nikos. I'm sure your time there will be...enlightening."

The last words were ominous and Pyrrha quickly wished her Quest Logs had a place to write down notes. After the head of Haven Academy stormed from the room, Pyrrha dashed over to a nearby bench and grabbed a scratch piece of paper. She jotted down the gist of the conversation...and watched the paper disappear. Panicking, Pyrrha opened her Journal and frantically tabbed to her Inventory screen. Pyrrha's sigh of relief was probably heard by Jaune in his family home. Her note was stored neatly in her Inventory.

[Quest updated: Exit the arena locker room.]

It was time to win this tournament. It was time to go to Beacon and reunite with the seven people who were so dear to Pyrrha's heart.

[Now loading…]

Pyrrha was back in the arena to the roaring of the crowd. She couldn't help but smile as she picked up her mother's near manic cheering. Pyrrha couldn't deny how happy her mother's enthusiasm for Pyrrha's success made her.

 **[BOSS BATTLE]**

The Invincible Girl saluted Bela Svon and entered into a fighting stance. Akoúo̱ quickly found its place in front of Pyrrha's center mass as Bela's tonfa-submachinegun sang out. Pyrrha knew the strategy from the previous lifetime's match. _'Three, two, one!'_ Pyrrha timed the incoming slide attack near perfectly. Almost immediately, Pyrrha threw her shield down at her foe as she jumped clear.

Bela had not reached the finals through her good looks alone. She had protected her body with upraised tonfas. Pyrrha landed with a combat roll. She quickly shouldered Milo and fired a burst to keep Bela away from Akoúo̱. Reaching out with her Semblance, Pyrrha recalled her shield. Milo was already in 'her' Xiphos form. The two warriors met in the center of the arena in a flurry of strikes, parries, and evasions. Pyrrha then pulled two techniques from her friends at Beacon. From Yang's arsenal, Pyrrha incorporated feint kicks and a few elbow strikes. From Jaune's, Ruby's and Nora's arsenal...Pyrrha dropkicked Bela.

In the face.

Pyrrha's opponent landed halfway across the arena with a grunt and a bloody lip despite having over half aura.

' _Just how hard did I hit her?'_

Shots rang out and Pyrrha ducked behind Akoúo̱. The surprise assault form the prone girl forced Pyrrha to exploit her Semblance to push a few of the bullets out of the way. Pyrrha had not reacted fast enough and a pair of bullets grazed her shoulders. The damage was lessened by Pyrrha's Aura, but the shots still stung.

The Invincible Girl had taken her first hits in nearly nine matches. The crowd was silent for a few moments as they processed what they had just witnessed. Then everything exploded and the crowd truly got into the match.

Pyrrha wanted to end the match quickly. The prospect of going to Beacon and reuniting with the man she loved was so tantalizingly close. Javelin Milo flew through the air with authority. Bela was flipping to her feet...and directly into the path of Milo. The impact sent Bela flying...until she impacted the barrier.

The match was declared over. Pyrrha and Bela went through the most match rituals. Once again, Pyrrha found herself scandalized by the flirt option the game designers had placed in her dialogue list. As always, Pyrrha chose the polite options. The next few hours were a complete blur of the usual podium appearances, press conferences, and frantic packing. Pyrrha had no interest in paying it any real attention.

She did, however, enjoy the meal with her parents that night. There _was_ an attempt at a conversation between Pyrrha and Thálassa, but it mostly was the two women crying and promising to keep in touch via Scroll Messages and voice calls.

Pyrrha had always been an early riser, but her elation at the looming reunion with Jaune, Nora, Ren and Team RWBY was so overwhelming she was awake a full three hours before her alarm.

[Now loading…]

Pyrrha was so grateful for the loading screen. She regained control as she waited on the airship's loading ramp to lower.

"I'm so proud of you," Thálassa wept. "My baby girl is leaving home. I know you'll be magnificent. You're my angel, but it's a mother's job and privilege to worry about her only child."

"Thank you, Mother," Pyrrha replied with a watery smile, struggling mightily to hold back a flood of tears.

"Call us at least once a week," Kassíteros ordered gently. "We need to know how you are doing. I want to hear about the friends you make, how classes are going, and if I need to have any young men disappear for getting too fresh with my precious kóri."

"I...I promise father," Pyrrha swore. She truly loved her parents and was glad the emotional moment allowed her to cry freely. The thought of how devastated her passing would have been to both Thálassa and Kassíteros finally entered her mind. _'I do promise father. I promise I will not fail this time. I will stop Cinder. I will_ kill _Cinder."_

Parting from her parents was far more difficult than Pyrrha remembered, but she quickly boarded the airship. The Invincible Girl was grateful for her private quarters on board. Her heart was racing a million miles per hour. She was almost to Beacon she was reunited with…

[Jaune Arc has entered the game! Would you like to enable co-op?]

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Here's chapter 2! Cutting it close, but I managed to get this out on time as promised! This chapter is from Pyrrha's perspective. One of my primary objectives for this chapter was to give everyone's favorite Hoplite some character development. Next chapter is the reunion. That chapter is **also** complete so I'll be able to post that, barring catastrophe, next Friday. I've also started work on Chapter 4. I hope to stay ahead of this fic for a while. Once school starts back and my focus goes to my job and students, I'm not sure how updates will flow.

Now! Some fic recs. The world desperately needs more positive portrayals of Arkos. So, I have a few recommendations.

First, a fic that is fairly recent. "From Embers to Dust" by WarrenDSherman. Hugely unique take. Lots of amazing mystery, but sadly the fic isn't getting anywhere the attention Warren deserves for such a polished and unique fic.

s/12547296/1/

Hopefully Fanfic didn't eat the link. Regardless, I do hope that you give "From Embers to Dust" a look. Hugely underrated fic that deserves more love.

And the following are author suggestions: Solora Goldsun and soulfulbard create some great RWBY AUs and in keeping with the "Arkos Needs More Love" theme of this author's note, both authors have some great Arkos fics.

So, everyone needs to go check out WarrenDSherman, Solora Goldsun, and soulfulbard if you need to sate a craving for Arkos and/or positive Pyrrha and Jaune portrayals.

Hope y'all enjoy this chapter! The response blew me away! Y'all rock!


	3. Tutorial: Co-op and Communication!

**Update:** Thank you to all the reviewers who pointed out that Fanfic ate my method of denoting the Jaune/Pyrrha 'chat'. In my raw doc, I had greater-than and less-than symbols denoting Pyrrha and Jaune chatting with each other. I have replaced those symbols with ~. Again, thank you to everyone who brought this to my attention.

* * *

The cursor remained blinking on 'Yes', but neither of the recently revived martyrs could bear the thought that the game was dangling the opportunity of reunion in front of them like some kind of cruel joke. The possibility of 'Co-op' had never even entered into the partner's minds. Pyrrha had wondered if Jaune was operating under the same settings, she had assumed the game simply put every person on Remnant under Pyrrha's settings. That, however, was a question for another time.

Jaune Arc turned away from the crowd and to rest his head against one of the nearby window frames. He hoped that other passengers would think he was suffering from the air sickness that had been cured by his Piloting skill. The sudden tears would draw too much attention. Jaune couldn't be sure he wouldn't spill everything because his emotions were _shot._

"Yes..."

[Waiting for response…]

In her quarters, Pyrrha had no such concerns and _was_ weeping at the message flashing in her vision.

[Jaune Arc wishes to begin Co-op. Waiting for response…]

"Yes...I...Yes..." Pyrrha consented.

[Co-op mode initiated! The tutorial for our exciting Co-op features! Per user requests, we have instituted Friends Lists! In order to play Co-op, please make sure your partner is added to your Friends List. This permits you to create a direct connection to your partner not just in Beacon Academy but in any future releases!]

Simultaneously, a pop-up menu appeared front and center of both Jaune and Pyrrha's perception.

[The Friends List is now visible. The currently selected screen is the "Pending Request" screen. Please select your desired partner for this playthrough.]

Pyrrha and Jaune didn't have to be told twice. Their cursors quickly danced towards the 'Confirm Friend Request' button.

[Now that you have confirmed the Friend Request, we can demonstrate the great features new to Remnant: Academy! First, is a direct, encrypted, and seamless method to communicate with your partner! No need for the world to think your crazy by speaking to your Co-op partner when they aren't around! With Siarad, PNKE Studio's proprietary chat system, instant voice chat is available. Don't worry, as we said, no one will think you are crazy as only directly connected Co-op partners may receive messages. Try it out! Say hello to your partner!]

Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos had, jointly and independently, suddenly found the most interesting bulkhead in the world. They were completely overwhelmed by the unbelievable, even by their currently skewed standards, turn of events.

Finally, a single whisper appeared in the back of Jaune's mind. A whisper that was warm and full of life. There was not a solitary hint of falsehood or illusion in the words.

~Hello again..~

~P-Pyrrha?~

There was the sound of swallowing back tears. ~Is...~

~Where are you? I need to see you. I need to know that this is real,~ Jaune's own thoughts were devastated by the fear that this was all an illusion despite the confidence from earlier.

~T-Third Deck. R-Room 304,~ Pyrrha blurted out desperately.

[Co-op Tutorial: If you are separated from your Partner for whatever reason, you can set up a Ping. The Ping will resonate as you get closer to your Partner. Would you like to set up a Ping?]

The Four Time Champion could not set up the Ping fast enough. Jaune was using the Ping to guide him, but was _desperately_ trying not to put Ruby's Semblance to shame. He had to keep a low profile as the new reality was something that would be near impossible to explain. Hunters were an...odd..bunch, but even they had limits on what they would consider sane. Jaune was pretty sure "Life is actually a video game and you are all NPCs" would cross a line somewhere.

Jaune was power-walking like a man possessed. A few crew and passengers asked if he was alright. The Knight responded with the white lie that he was feeling airsick. Jaune was familiar enough with the effects to fake his 'condition'. He was soon confident that his 'superior' acting would allow him to pick up the pace. So, he started power walking at a pace that would make his grandmother and her walks at the mall jealous.

~Almost there,~ Jaune willed his message to his Partner.

~I...I can't believe this is real,~ Pyrrha breathed. ~Hurry, Jaune.~

As the message was transmitted, Pyrrha began pacing around her private cabin. The celebrity she had no interest in exploiting, or possessing, was currently paying dividends. A private cabin would allow them to reunite, _vigorously_ reunite if all went as Pyrrha wished, and then discuss the odd reality in which they now inhabited while enjoying the afterglow. The HUD was also proving to be delightfully useful. Her compass had spawned a tiny tick mark pointed towards Jaune and placed a distance counter as well. Pyrrha felt her heart rate run out of control as the counter quickly approached zero. The speed at which the counter evaporated filled Pyrrha with joy and recently uncorked lust.

Jaune was _hurrying_.

To her.

~I'm going to knock that one song Ruby and Yang sang at karaoke,~ Jaune announced.

Pyrrha laughed at the memory and made sure to transmit the laugh to Jaune. ~The one that had Weiss burying her head in her hands and Nora playing air guitar?~

~You know it.~

A familiar tune echoed through the door. Pyrrha was trembling with anticipation. This was happening. She dashed to the door and flung it open with abandon. The excitement was quickly swept away in a tide of relieved tears. Pyrrha and Jaune barely managed to choke out each others names before nearly tackling each other in a hug. Pyrrha pounced first, but Jaune managed to time his desperate embrace more successfully. It also helped Jaune that Pyrrha was in heels. Jaune's forward momentum carried them back into the cabin. Pyrrha was miraculously cognizant of her surroundings long enough to close the door with her Semblance.

The world quickly faded away for Jaune and Pyrrha. In its place, there was only the warmth and texture of the embrace. Pyrrha buried her face in the crook of Jaune's next. His shoulder was soaked, but Jaune did not care.

Pyrrha was _here_. Pyrrha remembered.

"You know," Jaune said as he breathed in the scent of Pyrrha's hair. "When you mentioned immortality in the Emerald Forest, I'm pretty sure you didn't mean this kind of immortality..."

"No, but I will take it. I will treasure it. We have a chance..." Pyrrha sniffled. She was still crying, but was no longer bawling. "J-Jaune...what happened after..."

"Beacon fell. Ruby...Ruby _saw_ your last moment," Jaune barely managed to articulate the last painful point. "She unlocked the power of her Silver Eyes. The Dragon was turned to stone and Cinder...well...Cinder was messed up, but damn it! She survived. That bitch who worked for Cinder managed to get to her before we could."

Pyrrha nodded. She clung tightly to Jaune and willed him to continue with a, ~What happened then...How did you… 'restart'?~

"After recovering, Ren, Nora, and I joined Ruby on a mission to Haven…," Jaune began. He told the entire story up until the encounter with the Geist.

Jaune blinked as his mind was having trouble processing the look Pyrrha was giving him. It was a glare, an _angry_ glare. "What were you _thinking?_ How could you go into battle against such an infamous incarnation of Grimm without Crocea Mors?"

"What was I...I thinking?" Jaune asked heatedly. "In the back of my head, it was 'Why Pyrrha?' _That's_ what I was thinking."

"D-Did you go out there to die?" Pyrrha whispered as the hug broke.

"I guess I did," Jaune groaned. "Was that why you shoved me in that fucking locker? Did you want to die that night?"

Pyrrha gasped as the questions, "Was that why you shoved me in that damn locker? Did you want to die that night?" echoed over and over in her head.

"I had to atone...Penny's death...Cinder getting, usurping the Fall Maiden's power was my fault! I had to try no matter the cost!"

" **Bullshit Pyrrha!"** Jaune thundered began to pace. "How was it your fault?"

"I..."

"If anyone fucked up the transfer it was **me**. Penny? The same thing that happened to Yang, happened to you."

"But it _happened!"_ Pyrrha countered. "It happened because I was too afraid to accept my responsibilities. I put my wants before the needs of the world. If I had agreed the day Ozpin, General Ironwood, Ruby's Uncle, and Professor Goodwitch came to me then Cinder would be dead! Ruby's friend would be alive! We would still be in our first 'game', together!"

Jaune opened his mouth to counter.

"Besides, if I couldn't do that on my own, what good was I?"

The second the words left her mouth, Pyrrha broke down in tears and collapsed. Jaune had been on the verge of leaving, but he couldn't move. He had wanted to see Pyrrha, to hold her like he had been.

But the pain of that night had come roaring forth. Jaune had been cut deep by Pyrrha's last words, and was continued to be torn into by her whimpered "I'm sorry..." mantra.

Eventually, he sat down opposite from Pyrrha on the floor. He leaned back against the bulkhead. Pyrrha had never looked so small as 'The Invincible Girl' hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

"We're really fucked up aren't we?" Jaune eventually said. Pyrrha looked up eventually. Red polluted her green eyes, now robbed of their usual vibrant light. Her make-up was smeared and running. If only the world could see just how wrong Pyrrha's least favorite 'title' truly was at this moment.

"Yes..." Pyrrha choked out. "Messed up...falls a bit short...don't you think?"

"We _need_ to talk about what happened, but once we get used to coming back," Jaune said in an authoritative tone. "Right now, our emotions are just too raw."

"I...I agree, Jaune," Pyrrha whispered. The tears and pain were still etched into her voice.

The Knight opened his mouth, but a tone cut off his words. "Passengers, this is the captain. We have come across an unusually strong storm. We are setting down at the Tartan Airfield. Standard Storm procedures are in effect. All passengers, please return to your designated decks. We request you shelter in place."

"Well, ain't that convenient." Jaune threw up his hands. "Are you familiar with games at all, Pyrrha?"

"No," the redhead answered quickly. "The only time I ever played a 'real' video game was the time I did a press event at MGDC."

"You...could get passes to the Mistral Game Development Congress...and you didn't tell me," Jaune overacted an attempt at placating and appeasing Pyrrha. He threw his hand over his heart for good measure. The humor was forced, but it was a touching olive branch.

"We have been given a second chance," Pyrrha spoke hopefully. "When…the Vytal Tournament is finished, perhaps we could go...together."

"Everything together," Jaune agreed. "That reminds me...how _are_ we doing this together? Not that I mind!"

Pyrrha nodded and could tell Jaune was simply curious. She cleared her throat. "I am not sure, Jaune."

Jaune was lost in thought as he considered all the information he had in his possession. "Pyrrha...how long were you on the title menu?"

The Mistrali beauty gulped and hugged her knees tighter. How could she explain that she had spent what felt like years mourning the loss of her beloved Jaune, her friends, failing the world? What words could capture her utter despair as she wondered if her entire existence was a complete lie? She gaped liked a landed fish for several moments, before Jaune stumbled across the floor and flopped next to Pyrrha.

"Remember that video?"

"The one where I told you not to slack off?" Pyrrha asked, the faintest of smiles emerging on her features.

"Three times a night, every night after Beacon fell," Jaune confessed. "I had that lesson down, but I played it just to hear your voice."

"I won't need to make the video this time," Pyrrha decided. "This is our second chance…"

Jaune chuckled. "Maybe I'll be properly spec-ed this time."

"Spec-ed?" Pyrrha asked.

A thoughtful hum escaped Jaune's throat. "Were your settings on Ironman with almost no experience growth, no auto-saves, et cetra?"

"My settings were...unusual. Did the game have you at 150% Opponent Combat Speed?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yup." Jaune turned to Pyrrha. "How about you?"

"Yes." Pyrrha seemed to have achieved some measure of emotional equilibrium. "I...kept it."

Jaune snorted. "I'm not surprised. You're incredible. It would be hilarious to see how OP you'd be with minimum opponent speed."

"OP?" Pyrrha questioned. "I'm sorry. I am...rather unfamiliar with video game jargon."

"Overpowered. Basically, you'd be a god on that setting. I'd probably have to start a cult."

Jaune's pronouncement caused a legitimate snort of laughter to escape Pyrrha's lips. "I...considered it, but combat was never my issue...outside of..."

The words trailed off. Jaune sighed and continued to push away that dark conversation piece. "Ironman?"

"Ironman," Pyrrha revealed. "Was your immersion set to 'Full'?"

"With the game starting at Conception and without the handy HUD?" Jaune asked and received a nod in reply. "You know it."

Pyrrha hummed for a moment. "I never expected the HUD to be so useful."

"It did help me find you faster," Jaune pointed out. ~It also gave us tips on how to do this.~

~True, this will be helpful,"~ Pyrrha responded through the 'voice chat' feature. "We also don't have to rely on our scrolls to see the status of our team, if I have guessed correctly about a HUD."

The video game veteran nodded. "You got it. The HUD will show our 'party'. We'll know everyone's status."

Pyrrha nodded, but decided to focus on her HUD for a moment. "I see my journal icon, my compass, and my own status. I don't see your information..."

"Probably because we aren't in a mission. This isn't the tutorial levels, but I'd wager we're still in the Prologue."

"This is very complex..." Pyrrha sighed. "Other than a few puzzle games that came pre-loaded onto the Scroll at Beacon, I've never played any games 'for real'."

"Obviously, not all video games are as complex as the one we seem to be living, but there are some sprawling epics. Never played it but supposedly it takes over three hundred and nine hours to get 100% completion on Lasta Epopeo Tridek."

"That seems a bit excessive," Pyrrha laughed.

"It is," Jaune agreed.

Pyrrha appeared to be struggling with something. Jaune found a bit of worry forming in his gut. Part of the reunion conversation had become heated and painful. His worries faded when Pyrrha finally let go of her knees and began to sit in a position that was wasn't basically misery in posture form. Her now free right arm slid around Jaune's waist and Pyrrha decided his shoulder was now a pillow.

"I turned _that_ setting to active..." Pyrrha's voice was hopefully and scouting for a reaction.

"S-Same," Jaune stammered out. If that wasn't a surprisingly subtle, yet incredibly obvious hint that Pyrrha well and truly wanted Jaune, then he was a Boarbatusk.

The redhead slipped, awkwardly, around Jaune. She _had_ been going for sexy and seductive, but had three factors working against her attempts. First, she was attempting to recover from being, and remaining, a total emotional wreck. Second, her position next to Jaune was _physically_ awkward. Finally, and most importantly, Pyrrha Nikos was a _socially_ awkward young woman who didn't want her fame and honestly wanted to be what most would consider 'a total dork'.

Still, Jaune didn't register the awkwardness. He, too, was totally a socially awkward dork of the highest degree who's 'primary' mind was having trouble registering (again) that a woman who's beauty was already damn near legendary _wanted_ him. His 'secondary' mind was forcefully punting the previous angst, confusion, and heartache into a corner while demanding that Jaune 'Damn the Torpedoes!'.

After all, Jaune and Pyrrha had been denied this physical comfort in their past life. Why _shouldn't_ they take this opportunity?

' _Because we're in a fucked up mental place right now,'_ Jaune's rationality hissed at his lust. He was _very determined_ to avoid transmitting these thoughts to Pyrrha. There was no way Jaune wanted to even _hint_ that he was rejecting her. Jaune had died for her. Jaune had restarted his existence for her. Jaune wanted to live for Pyrrha. His rationality was making strong cases for why this encounter at this moment was in no way healthy. Rationality was losing the battle to want and lust. Jaune _wanted_ what was about to happen. His hormones were stoking the fires of his lust. There was no denying the numerous dreams that had haunted Jaune involving something akin to this very situation.

There had been twenty-three of those dreams.

Yes, Jaune _had_ kept count.

' _Maybe...maybe this won't be so bad? It's not like sex is all we have.'_

As Jaune wrestled with his quandary, Pyrrha was trying to convince herself that she was making the right decision in the right moment. She loved Jaune, completely, totally, and despite of both their myriad issues. Wasn't this the moment Pyrrha had longed for in her previous play through? This _wouldn't_ just be sex. Pyrrha and Jaune shared a powerful connection. She had unlocked his very soul in the past! As she ground her hips against Jaune's she could feel just how _eager_ Jaune was for this encounter.

If this didn't show Jaune the depths of her repentance and desires, nothing would!

' _But...would this moment only be an apology? I don't think he would, but would Jaune expect sex as the standard apology? Would making love lose all meaning that way?'_

Pyrrha's lust and desire to show contrition for her earlier faux pas overrode her concerns.

Rational concerns buried beneath their loneliness and lust, Pyrrha and Jaune started to explore their partners in earnest. There would be no Rocket Locker, no usurper of the Fall Maiden's power, no Grimm in this moment. All that existed was Jaune, Pyrrha, and their pent up desires, desperation for what they had been denied in their previous life, and the simple desperate need to know that this was all real.

Jaune broke the kiss, but quickly renewed his passionate devotion to Pyrrha as his lips found a new target slightly above Pyrrha's collar bone. His decision was met by a gasp and sensual moan of approval. The Invincible Girl greedily worked one of her hands underneath Jaune's shirt. The other found its way to the back of Jaune's hair.

"Jaune..." Pyrrha whispered happily. Her eyes went wide as the door opened. "Jaune!"

The startled, and definitely not sexually pleased yelp, drew Jaune's attention away from his Partner. "W-What the hell?" Jaune stammered. He almost added, "Damn it, Yang!".

However, he was stopped by a message from Pyrrha that stated, ~We haven't 'met' her yet! Don't use her name!~

"So, Beacon is going to be _this_ kind of school! I think I can dig it." Yang beamed at the couple. The two remembered their friend-but-not-yet was a world class teasing-big-sister and she had adopted _everyone_ in RWBY and JNPR as her her younger sibling last time.

"Uh, miss..." Jaune acted the mortified stranger perfectly. It was acting, because while he _was_ mortified there was no way Jaune could count Yang as a stranger.

"Yang Xiao-long!" Yang announced and rested her balled fists on her hips.

"Jaune Arc," Jaune re-introduced himself.

"Good afternoon, I am Pyrrha Nikos," Pyrrha greeted politely.

Yang whistled. "Wow, a celebrity."

Flashing a cheeky look to Pyrrha, Jaune sent ~Watch this,~ as a message. "Yeah, I'm a pretty big deal."

Pyrrha punched Jaune in the shoulder. "Jaune!"

"Ow, you're only supposed to use your super strength for Good, remember?" Jaune rubbed at a non-existent bruise, falling easily back into their casual banter from the previous life.

Yang snorted. "I, uh, was actually looking for the bathroom..."

"Turn left out of the door and it is the second door on your right," Pyrrha explained.

"Thanks. Carry on lovebirds and don't worry! Your secrets are safe with me! I promise not to kiss and tell!" Yang exclaimed as she exited the room with a jaunty wave.

"Is this going to _really_ be a thing?" Jaune called after her.

"Don't you know it, Big Deal!"

The second the _clang_ of the door shutting died away, Pyrrha buried her face in the crook of Jaune's neck. "I can't believe that happened!"

"I can," Jaune said, desperately trying to contain laughter. "Our lives are some kind of video game and we are friends with _the_ Yang Xiao Long. Would you expect 'normal' out of our circle of friends?"

"No," the Mistrali woman admitted quietly. "I just wish she had stumbled in _before_ we, well, you know..."

"I know," Jaune tried to soothe Pyrrha's frazzled nerves. She had held up well, treating the encounter as if she was giving a press conference. Jaune knew his partner well enough that Pyrrha craved privacy. The moment that was interrupted was extremely mortifying.

"Jaune...I know this is a 'video game' and we have to select our dialog, but..." Pyrrha whispered.

The Knight grinned and rubbed Pyrrha's back. "You've gotten to the point where you can pick a choice almost without reading?"

"Yes. Is that supposed to happen?" Pyrrha asked. "I thought it was best to weigh my options carefully and..."

"Casual situations like that let you be a bit more...cavalier with your answers," Jaune pointed out with his shrug evident in his tone.

Pyrrha frowned. "I suppose..."

"Think of it this way. All of the choices are _your_ thoughts. It's just a way to see them before you say anything. The game also gives you that nifty slow-down-time edge as well," the young man explained to his best friend and almost-but-soon-lover.

"Jaune, thank you. That puts my mind at ease somewhat. I still have a great deal of trouble wrapping my head around the fact that our lives are a 'video game' or some kind of computer simulation," Pyrrha responded.

"Hey, at least that gives us some advantages! We can communicate secretly, pause the world to work out strategies, and catch our breath if things go south for any reason," Jaune listed some positives to help ease his partner along. He wouldn't deny that there were a lot of unsettling questions about this whole situation, but right now he only cared about keeping the band-aid over the issues beneath the surface between Pyrrha and himself.

She was too important to him. He didn't want to risk it. If he couldn't move forward _with_ Pyrrha, then what was the point?

Pyrrha slid off his lap and was at his side again. Her head rested gently on his shoulder. "This is just all so much..."

"Hey, we're in this together."

Once again, the Game had an odd sense of timing. The captain's voice boomed through the intercom system, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we believe the storm to be clearing. We will be able to resume out trip to Beacon within the next thirty minutes."

"It is always something, isn't it?" Jaune asked with a smile.

"Always," Pyrrha agreed. A delicate chuckle escaped her lips. "Do you think they'll try to force meatloaf on us for lunch tomorrow?"

"Miss Nikos. I have had meatloaf. I can assure you, in fact I'll go so far as to swear on that dress I wore last time, that whatever was served was in no way meatloaf."

Pyrrha laughed heartily. She was glad that Jaune was agreeing to put off the troubling conversation for a later time. Pyrrha was perfectly fine with living in this illusion of perfection for as long as possible.

She was being selfish.

She didn't particularly care as long as Jaune was as eager to be selfish alongside her. The fact that he was holding her _just_ a little tighter was all the proof she needed.

The rest of the trip wasn't eventful. Jaune and Pyrrha simply basked in the fact that their reunion had happened. Soon, they would be back with Ren, Nora, Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Weiss.

As they maneuvered through the crowds, Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh _at_ Jaune. "They are all staring at you, Mr. Big Deal."

"You are never going to let me live that down, are you?" Jaune asked.

"Of course not. It will be grand to have a new way to bond with Yang. I already have one friend I can sass people with in Blake. I believe a second friend for such purposes would be wonderful," Pyrrha teased _mercilessly_.

~I think you showed CRDL more mercy in our last...game...~ The Knight countered with careful humor.

~I must confess it is fun. I still may break his legs if he acts so horrendously to Velvet,~ Pyrrha caught the message in Jaune's use of the 'voice' chat. They were slipping into casual discussion of their previous life out in the open.

Jaune chuckled. He wasn't sure if they were handling their trauma better, or just becoming more adept at burying it deeply out of sight. Either way, Jaune was happy they were communicating at least.

' _How many shitstorms could we have avoided if Pyrrha and I had just_ talked?'Jaune wondered.

~Don't be alarmed, but Ruby's about to explode.~

Pyrrha turned her head to Jaune and stared at him slack-jawed and wide-eyed. ~What do you mean _explode?_ I thought she was joking about that!~

A short distance away, there was a fairly obvious thud that heralded a minor dust explosion. Pyrrha gasped in shock. "You weren't kidding!"

"She's going to be down," Jaune said without realizing he was using his voice and not voice chat. "Blake is still...distant. Weiss is annoyed."

"Oh," Pyrrha articulated.

The pair quickly came across Ruby, who was laying on her back staring dejectedly at the sky, and were overcome with the urge to hug their friend-but-not-yet. "Welcome to Beacon," Ruby lamented quietly.

"Hi," Jaune said extending his hand. "I'm Jaune."

"Ruby," Ruby returned the greeting.

"My name is Pyrrha Nikos. It is a pleasure to meet you," the redhead introduced herself.

"Oh wow! I can't believe I'm meeting someone this big of a deal!" Ruby exclaimed as Jaune helped her to her feet.

"Jaune is kind of a big deal..." Pyrrha reused the joke.

"And it's back!" Jaune threw up his arms in mock exasperation. Ruby laughed. "So...anyone know where we are going?"

"Uh," Ruby scuffed her feet, avoiding eye contact with her new friends. "I have no idea."

"I believe I know where Orientation is," Pyrrha offered. "Would you like to walk with us?"

Ruby _beamed_. Her enthusiasm and zest for...just about everything positive in the world...was one of the reasons Pyrrha and Jaune had grown so close to her in the first place.

"That'd be great!" Ruby chirped. The trio started following Pyrrha, as she actually remembered, towards the Orientation. There was companionable silence, but Ruby's mind moved as quickly as her Semblance. "So...I've got this."

It could never be said that Ruby Rose did anything half-way. Crescent Rose, the petite teen's enormous and beloved scythe, extended to its full intimidating size. The weapon was as perfectly maintained as The Knight and the Hoplite remembered from their previous playthrough.

Jaune and Pyrrha weighed their conversation options carefully. Ruby was one of their closest friends and they wanted to ensure that they accelerated that friendship. The Reaper was one of the strongest and most courageous fighters they had ever met. It was imperative…

~Jaune...why is the Flirt choice green?~ Pyrrha asked.

~I was wondering the same thing myself. I think because...it would be very effective?~ Jaune answered the question with another question. ~We'll look up details later. I'm sure there is a help menu.~

Jaune selected a friendly option that went with, "Is that a scythe...that is also a _gun?"_

"Yup!" Ruby responded with her family's trademark 'popped p'.

"That is quite impressive," Pyrrha selected the compliment option and followed it up with Inquiry: "Did you design that at Patch? Who taught you about such an impressive weapon?"

[Inquiry Success! XP rewarded!]

Pyrrha smiled at both the Game's pop-up and Ruby's excited intake of breath. "Y-You both want to know about my Crescent Rose? You wouldn't mind me getting all technical?"

Jaune noticed that one of his basic question option was polite, but asked for 'noob friendly terms'. He went with that. Pyrrha quickly echoed the sentiment. Ruby, immensely cheered by the sudden good fortune, began talking about her High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe. The Reaper mentioned her Uncle Qrow and how he had been a teacher at Patch and inspired her to take up the Scythe.

~I do wonder about his effectiveness as a teacher at Patch. Qrow was one of Ozpin's inner circle's most active field agents,~ Pyrrha reached out to Jaune.

~Maybe this info could give us a leg up when the whole Maiden situation rears its head later,~ Jaune pointed out. He wasn't sure if the 'Voice/Mental Chat' could transmit emotions, but he desperately sent supportive thoughts along with his point.

"So, that's my baby. What do you two carry?"

"Ladies first," Jaune requested with a mix of genuine affection and cheekiness.

"My Milo is a multi-form mechashift weapon with a Rifle form, a Javelin form, and a Xiphos form. Akoúo̱ is my hoplon shield," Pyrrha introduced her weapons with a flourish mastered from her arena days.

Ruby let an appreciative noise escape her throat. "Is it true you had custom rifling placed in the barrel? I remember reading an interview with Tiller Rye the Weapon's Guy that he did some work for you a couple of months back..."

~This is new,~ Pyrrha transmitted humorously. ~I've never had anyone fangirl over Milo's rifling before.~

Jaune shook his head. ~Did you really expect _anything else_ from Ruby?~

Pyrrha beamed. She didn't need to send or say anything else.

The excitable and prodigious Weaponsmith was now firmly in her comfort zone. "How about you, Jaune?"

"I've got Crocea Mors. It's your typical Sword and Board, but the shield can contract into a scabbard to help with mobility when out in the world," Jaune explained and was infinitely grateful he didn't fumble the priceless family heirloom like last time. "Talked to my dad about the morning before I left for Beacon and found out a secondary function!"

"Two questions!" Ruby jumped in. Pyrrha was giving Jaune an expectant, yet flat look. "First, doesn't the scabbard/shield weigh the same? Second, is it also a gun?"

"First, yes. It weighs the same, but is easier to carry on a belt. Second, I'm afraid it is not also a gun," Jaune answered. As he followed the instructions his father had mentioned, he connected to Pyrrha. ~I legitimately didn't know about this function. A Blacksmith in Mistral found out Crocea Mors had been damaged. He explained it to me before...my game over. I swear.~

~I believe you,~ Pyrrha assured her partner. They were going to improve their communication and this was a valuable first step. The Four-time Mistral Regional Champion had to trust Jaune and she was confident they would communicate in private later.

Jaune listened to the whirring stop in his scabbard and produced the Greatsword version of Crocea Mors.

[You have activated the Secondary Mode of Crocea Mors for the first time! Greatsword form is covered by Longsword Mastery feats. You may switch forms at any time. Note: there is no Cool Down for the Great Sword to standard Crocea Mors transition, but you are unable to use any Shield Mastery Feats. XP gained]

Ruby actually 'squeed' and Pyrrha was impressed. Jaune grinned at the two lovely ladies and returned Crocea Mors to its standard form.

"That. Is. Awesome!" Ruby complimented both 'players' as they finally reached the Beacon Ballroom/Auditorium.

"We have arrived," Pyrrha announced.

~Hey! Ruby and I aren't late this time! Shame we weren't playing Co-op last time,~ Jaune reached out.

~W-What if we _were?~_ Pyrrha asked. ~The Game could have given us the option, _all_ of us the option, and...~

~Mother-fucker. You're right! Without the HUD and Tutorial, there would have been no way to know! Think about how easily we could have handled _everything_ if JNPR and RWBY were able to coordinate like we are now and be properly leveled and spec-ed!~

~That is definitely a concern. We should talk about this later. If this gets too distressing, we will not be able to hide our emotions,~ Pyrrha cautioned.

~When you're right, you're right,~ Jaune agreed.

Pyrrha, Jaune, and Ruby all entered the auditorium eagerly. Ruby was eager to begin her Huntress career. Jaune and Pyrrha were both eager to avenge the evils committed against their friends, and each other, by malevolent forces. There was also a great wave of nostalgia that washed over them.

~I'm glad I'm not missing the nice, quirky girl this time,~ Jaune transmitted. Pyrrha smiled and bumped her side against Jaune's.

"Ruby! Over here!" Yang called out.

"It's my sister! Come on, I'm sure you'll get along great with Yang!" Ruby was practically bouncing as she grabbed both Jaune and Pyrrha's hands and dragged them over to Yang. The petite Reaper hadn't been using her Semblance, but she was coming close to matching her trademark speed.

"You made...friends," Yang waffled between genuine happiness and elder-sibling concern.

"The let me talk about Crescent Rose!" Ruby exclaimed giddily.

Yang looked at Pyrrha and Jaune. "Only weapons?"

"Only weapons," Pyrrha confirmed. ~Huh, that flirt option wasn't as brazen as I've come to expect and fear. Asking to see Yang's weapon wouldn't have been too awful.~

~Yeah, it wasn't too bad,~ Jaune agreed. ~The game would have used a really… 'direct' tone though.~

"Whatcha talking about Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing," Yang said firmly. "Nothing at all."

Jaune, who was fluent in protective older sibling, recognized the message Yang was getting at and nodded. Pyrrha, who was an only child and unfamiliar with the secret language of the protective older sibling, decided it was best to simply smile politely.

Ozpin's arrival rescued Jaune and Pyrrha from interrogation from the daughters of Taiyang Xiao Long. Jaune and Pyrrha took the opportunity, as they had already heard the speech before, to look for their other friends-but-not-yet.

Ren and Nora were, as expected, together about nine meters away. Nora's overwhelming energy had given Ren and Nora a bit of space. Blake was very sneaky and no doubt trying to be somewhat on her own. Pyrrha spotted her for a brief moment in the crowd. The two girls held eye-contact for several seconds. Pyrrha smiled warmly at the other woman. Blake's eyes went wide for a second and she looked away with a small grin on her lips.

~I found Blake,~ Pyrrha filled Jaune in.

~Surprised Weiss didn't show up like last time,~ Jaune pointed out. ~Things are a bit different already.~

Pyrrha nodded as Professor Ozpin finished his speech. Professor Goodwitch revealed the 'sleep over setup' as Yang called it last time and…

"So, basically, our Professor just explained the sleep over setup?" Yang asked.

"Basically," Jaune confirmed.

Yang laughed. "I wonder if I'll follow in your footsteps?"

"Uh, Yang, what are you talking about? Did they bust up a club too?" Ruby asked with curiosity giving her silver eyes a brilliant sheen.

~How's Yang going to get out of this one?~ Jaune asked with a transmitted laugh.

Pyrrha grinned. ~She's the master of puns. I'm sure she can concoct an explanation using mental gymnastics.~

"Well, Ruby...I'm just impressed by their ability to make friends! They seem like great and, uh, _affectionate_ people!" Yang hastily explained.

The look Ruby gave her sister clearly gave lie to the idea that Yang had convinced the Reaper by any level of mental gymnastics Yang had just engaged in. Defeated, Yang turned to talk to some of her friends from Signal. Ruby had been holding in a laugh the entire time. It was a valiant attempt, but Ruby gave in and laughed.

"That's my sister," Ruby announced. "She's always trying to pretend I'm still the five year old she would pull around in our wagon."

"Miss Rose, I would have never taken you for a prankster," Jaune teased.

Pyrrha shook her head at the antics. She couldn't miss the sheer _joy_ Ruby was experiencing in meeting friends who weren't super-awkward and looking down at her...figuratively. Pyrrha would readily admit her dear friend was quite short, but that only made Ruby's puppy-like adorableness more pronounced.

"If you've met the rest of my family, besides Yang, you'd understand..."

The two 'Gamers' exchanged a look. They _hadn't_ met any of Ruby's family outside of Yang. Jaune and Pyrrha had heard how Ruby's dad had _mailed_ Zwei, Ruby's Corgi, to Beacon. That limited information made them wonder if the hyperactive, and slightly eccentric, Reaper _was_ the closest thing to normal in the Xiao Long Clan.

"I'll be right back," Jaune announced. The two girls nodded and Jaune headed off to the restrooms.

[There are times when by choice, quest requirements, or other circumstances where you are separated from your partner. Siarad does not have a range limit. However, certain quests _may_ have temporary interference with Siarad reception. We will also include a handy addition on your HUD's compass. Your Co-op Partner's Icon will appear in their general direction. If your partner is in extreme danger, the Icon will replace the standard colors with solid red and flash repeatedly. The greater the danger, the faster the Icon will flash.]

~That's good to know,~ Jaune tested the connection.

~Very,~ Pyrrha agreed. ~If you run into an Ursa in the bathroom, this will let us know...~

~Random, but I have an idea for a prank now...~

Pyrrha giggled, both at Jaune's last statement and Ruby's retelling of some of the misadventures her family had been involved with.

As Jaune attended to his business, Ruby was continuing to chat with Pyrrha. "Can I say how awesome you and Jaune are? I really needed to meet people like you. The first person I met caused an explosion and she yelled...and I was really, really sorry, but she just kept yelling...and she's behind me isn't she?"

"Good afternoon, Miss Nikos," Weiss greeted while pointedly ignoring Ruby for a moment. She turned to Ruby. "There would have been no risk of an explosion had you exercising the least bit of caution and care!"

"But..."

"Tut!" Weiss interrupted. "Dust is a volatile material. You must be careful at all times!"

Pyrrha frowned. Weiss and Ruby had joked about this meeting later, but Pyrrha was disappointed in Weiss. _'_ _I can't think like that. Weiss has been molded, against her will, by the pressures of her fame as much as I have. Until she met the rest of RWBY, Weiss had no real connections with others. I can't hold anything against her as our situations are so similar.'_

Still, Pyrrha knew her opinion and fame held great sway with Weiss. The 'Invincible Girl' decided to exploit her fame for a brief moment. Pyrrha selected the dialog option offered by her 'Creativity/Performance' perk, "Ruby, I am sure, is quite capable and merely had an unfortunate moment. Professor Ozpin no doubt recognized her exceptional talent if he allowed her early enrollment."

[Success! XP Earned!]

The words cut off Weiss's budding spiel. "Yes, thank you Pyrrha. I should have more faith in Headmaster Ozpin's judgment. Apologies."

Weiss gave a half-curtsy and departed. Ruby turned to Pyrrha with stars in her eyes. "That was so cool..."

Pyrrha smiled. "It is quite alright, Ruby."

Across the ballroom, Jaune was hemmed in by a crowd while attempting to make his way back to Pyrrha. There was some kind of dick measuring contest as two sports jocks from Sanctum and Umbra Academies.

~I'm delayed. Sorry, Pyrrha,~ Jaune reached out across their link.

~It is alright Jaune,~ Pyrrha assured her partner.

Jaune sent a quick emotional reply through the link, basically the semi-psychic equivalent of sending an emoticon as a message, and tried to get back to Pyrrha and Ruby. Jaune rolled his eyes as a juvenile insult was tossed around. One of the jocks didn't like that and gave him a glare.

"Don't look at me. I have no Creep in this brawl," Jaune muttered. _'_ _Had this been going on last time?'_

A _very_ enthusiastic Mistrali-born student bumped Jaune into someone. The game no doubt was aiming for a comedic moment and against all odds, Jaune's feet got tangled with the other person. Whoever Jaune had bumped into had cat-like agility and twisted _perfectly_ to land on top of Jaune.

And Jaune basically cursed himself for mentioning cat-like agility as he stared into the amber-colored eyes of one Blake Belladonna.

' _Damn it, PNKE...'_

"Sorry," Jaune quickly selected the safe, neutral option. He was intrigued by a follow-up dialogue option made available by his Command traits. Taking a risk, Jaune chose the option. "Looks like school is going to be as much of a battlefield as everywhere else."

[Success! XP Earned]

Blake smirked. "It does seem that way." She helped Jaune to her feet. "It seems you aren't one of the 'Rah! Sports!' types."

Recalling details from his last playthrough, Jaune selected the choice that lead to "Nope. I was always more of a graphic novel kind of guy."

"I'm not sure that just because they are long, those comics count as novels," Blake teased.

Jaune snorted. "Have you read Talaria?" Blake shook her head. "I'll have to let you borrow my copy. If you can read that and say it is 'just a comic book', I'll wear a dress."

' _Freaking really PNKE?!'_ Jaune raged.

"I may have to take you up on that offer," Blake accepted the bet.

The crowd parted and Jaune smiled at Blake. "Nice meeting you." _'I am so glad I managed to keep the air quotes out of that statement!'_

~On my way back, I think the delay was an event. Just met Blake,~ Jaune reported.

~Lovely,~ Pyrrha added. ~I hope we can help provide a support so she can be more open about her Faunus heritage here at Beacon.~

~Hopefully,~ Jaune agreed as he rejoined Pyrrha and Ruby. "Sorry for the delay. A group of students thinks that "Rar! Sports!" is a battle-cry and a MMA match is needed."

"Ugh. Sports." Ruby threw up her arms. "I don't get it."

"I can understand it a bit," Pyrrha confessed. "There is a definite rush when you are competing at a high level."

"What about the people who _don't_ compete but just take it _way_ too seriously?" Ruby countered.

Pyrrha leaned her head to the side. "That...that I did not understand."

"Have I mentioned that I'm glad to be around _sane_ people?" Jaune piped in with the humorous agreement option. Pyrrha and Ruby laughed, which was a small victory if Jaune was allowed to claim it as such.

Professor Goodwitch's voice came across the intercom. "Students, lunch is being served in the cafeteria. Please head that way now."

"Oh boy! I hope there is meatloaf!" Ruby squealed excitedly.

~Should we?~ Pyrrha asked.

~I can't end such happiness...~ Jaune broke down.

[Now Loading…]

The Game may have skipped the lunch, but Jaune and Pyrrha were both left with the memories of substandard meatloaf. What they had _not_ expected to be left with was Ruby absolutely loving the strange food-shaped monstrosity.

"That was so good!" Ruby sighed happily.

"I...I'm glad you enjoyed it," Pyrrha added politely. Jaune was quite impressed she managed to keep a straight face.

"Ruby, you seemed to enjoy it more than anyone," Jaune selected a neutral option.

The Reaper hugged her beloved weapon tightly. "My dad makes meatloaf like that. It helped a bit with the homesickness."

~That...certainly explains a lot,~ Jaune transmitted.

Pyrrha frowned. "In a way, homesickness is a good thing."

Jaune and Ruby both looked at Pyrrha, concern and curiosity present in equal measure in their eyes.

Buoyed by the support, Pyrrha continued. "That means you have wonderful memories of home...and…"

~I'm here, Pyrrha,~ Jaune reached out.

"Was...everything alright at home?" Ruby asked the older girl cautiously.

"Yes," Pyrrha responded without hesitation or doubt. She could feel the relief rolling off Ruby and Jaune, especially, at her answer. "I have fond memories of my parents and love them dearly. It is just...we never had somewhere that was _home_. Most of our happiest memories are everywhere _but_ our house."

"Oh," Ruby whispered as she looked at the floor.

"We'll just have to make Beacon home, then," Jaune stepped in decisively. "I, for one, am going to make sure you have every reason to think of this as home."

Pyrrha melted and the budding inner romantic of one Ruby Rose was close behind.

~Jaune...I don't want to be interrupted this time.~

Jaune Arc's brain functions came to a screeching halt. The game had made him a pretty oblivious idiot last time, but now...he knew _exactly_ what Pyrrha wanted.

And he wanted it too.

~How are we going to sneak off?~ Jaune asked.

The Game provides. In a moment of glorious timing, Yang Xiao Long came over, wearing her pajamas already, and threw her arm around Ruby. "Any corruption going on here?"

"Nope, we are all incredibly boring," Jaune chose a teasing answer.

Yang rolled her eyes. "I'm rescuing my sister from boredom."

"I don't need to be rescued!" Ruby wailed. "Save me Jaune and Pyrrha! Rescue me from being rescued! NOOOOOOO"

"We will never forget you, Ruby!" Jaune called out.

Pyrrha shook her head. As Ruby tried, but failed, to escape her sister, Pyrrha and Jaune began the process of slipping out of the ballroom. Pyrrha struggled a bit as fans called out to their 'hero' for acknowledgment or some of the bolder students made passes or cat-calls. Jaune heard a pair of the cat-calls and felt his blood boil.

~You have nothing to fear tonight, Jaune,~ Pyrrha promised.

~Other than my heart fucking exploding out of my chest since it's beating at a hundred miles per hour,~ The Knight confessed to his beloved Hoplite.

~If it helps, mine is too. I've wanted, no...needed, you like this for so long,~ Pyrrha communicated huskily.

~Our old dorm?~ Jaune asked in a throaty tone.

Pyrrha had finally caught up with Jaune and wrapped her arm around his waste. "Absolutely."

Jaune spun halfway and kissed Pyrrha with all the fire, need, and desire to put the earlier conflict behind him that he could muster. He put his hands on both sides of his soon-to-be-lover's head, reveling in the sensation of her silky hair spilling over his fingers. Pyrrha hugged Jaune's waist tightly. The risk of discovery in the hallway was great, but the simple fact was that neither one of them cared.

For them, the world did not exist beyond their embrace. Their passion, love, and lust filled the role of the sun and their bodies was the very soil of Remnant.

A moment and an eternity later, the kiss ended. Three words, spoken in a voice rattled with tears, broke the silence. "I love you."

"I came back for you," Pyrrha wept. "I love you."

Jaune picked Pyrrha up by her left thigh, and resumed his attentions. His lips migrated down Pyrrha's neck and elicited a moan that drove him deeper into that lustful haze. The Partners had never been so thankful for adjusting their settings.

"We'll never make it to the room at this rate," Pyrrha giggled as Jaune's breath tickled her skin.

"There'd be no doubt that we're together-together," Jaune mumbled as his hands started to roam. Pyrrha gasped and writhed against Jaune in a desperate attempt to gobble up every shred of sensation. Her mind and body were in accord with her heart. She _needed_ this. The heat that coiled in her core was begging for release and Jaune would be the only person Pyrrha would ever allow to unleash it.

The Gamers stumbled down the hall as they failed to fully contain their desires. Eventually, by a miracle, they reached 'their' old room. Jaune fumbled with his memory to enter the code, but it wouldn't take.

"The hell?"

"Jaune," Pyrrha said as Jaune entered his code furiously. "Jaune...Semblance..."

The Knight turned to his lady and waged war against the urge to go "Fuck it" and take her out in the hallway. "Huh?"

[Door unlocked!]

"Oh, right," Jaune said sheepishly as he pulled into Pyrrha while simultaneously being pushed into the room. The room where so many of their happy memories from the last playthrough were made was barren. Still, Pyrrha and Jaune felt at home. Jaune was in the process of lifting Pyrrha's pajama tank top off when he was pushed back on the bed before completing the task.

"Was this the first thing you turned back on?" Pyrrha asked as she played with her top. She lifted it off herself and tossed it onto what was once Nora's bed. There was a power in this moment, Pyrrha realized. The hungry lust in Jaune's eyes meant that _she_ was the only person in the world as far as he was concerned.

Jaune was her first true friend, thankfully not the last, and she loved him completely. He had come back _for_ her, just as she had come back for him. Jaune deserved a reward for that.

She proceeded to practically tear Jaune's pajama pants off in her lustful haste. _'I don't know why Jaune doesn't have his onesie, but I am so glad it is gone. This would be a hassle if he had it.'_

Pyrrha freed Jaune's lower mind and its _fullness_ made her realize what was about to happen. They were giving themselves to each other. There was a finality to this act.

One she accepted completely as she reached for the object of her desires. Her massaging strokes caused Jaune to melt. She reveled in the heat, the smell, and the feeling of every touch. Emboldened by the groaning of _her_ name on Jaune's lips, she knelt so that she could run her tongue along the length of his shaft.

"Fuck me!" Jaune groaned as he flopped backwards on the bed.

"Isn't that the point?" Pyrrha asked in between strokes and before renewing her tongue's attentions on the head of his cock. Slowly, she engulfed Jaune as much as she was able. Occasionally as she bobbed back and forth on his dick, Pyrrha attempted to take Jaune deeper. She nearly triggered her gag reflex once, so stopped. A moment of worry was quickly ended as Jaune's hand found its way to her head. This sensation, all of this sensation, was a heady brew and Pyrrha needed more.

"This...isn't fair...Pyrrha. Let's...I h-have…" Jaune tried to speak verbally. ~I want us to be Partners in everything. Get on the bed with me and get on top...~

Pyrrha understood and reluctantly slowed down. Drunk on this feeling of pure empowerment, Pyrrha took her time ending this portion of their lovemaking. She finally joined Jaune off the bed and, immediately her sleeping shorts were tossed _somewhere_ towards the kitchen. Jaune and Pyrrha had an uncanny connection even before the Co-op game.

Jaune was definitely going to murder the people responsible for the settings that denied him _this_ last time. His entire body burned in ways not even the most strenuous training could match. Jaune's vision had trouble focusing on anything as his mind was completely overtaxed by sensation, desire, and sheer animal instinct. His hands quickly found to Pyrrha's glorious ass. Eager to repay Pyrrha for the unbelievable pleasure from earlier, Jaune's tongue entered the fray. Pyrrha was making pleased noises as Jaune went to work.

Then his thumb brushed up against Pyrrha's clit as he tried to spread Pyrrha more to get deeper. _'Thank you sex-ed,'_ Jaune thought as he remembered something. He wasn't sure _how_ he remembered due to the last game's settings, though. Pyrrha cried out in ecstasy and Jaune focused more on _that_ spot. Pyrrha bucked up and down and Jaune was tensing. The dam of _need_ that had built up their entire _lives_ was on the verge of breaking.

And then Pyrrha stopped.

"W-What?" Jaune squawked as the sudden absence hit him like jumping into the oceans north of Solitas.

Pyrrha kissed him quickly. In a desperate voice, she pleaded, "I need you inside of me!"

Jaune sat up and nodded. Pyrrha, not waiting for him to change position from sitting butterfly style. As he entered her, Pyrrha cried out. Jaune, for his part, shuddered and hissed Pyrrha's name.

The couple were so engrossed in the completion of their union, that they missed their compasses morph into their personal icons.

Jaune found the position somewhat awkward as he couldn't easily thrust into Pyrrha. He adored the closeness the position afforded. Pyrrha shared the sentiments in clipped messages through Siarad. The lovers began to move in concert. Pyrrha rested one of her hands against Jaune's heart to feel his heartbeat. The two lovers became in tune and their bodies and desires created a new rhythm. The tempo of their union was aligned and their bodies acted as one to draw every ounce of pleasure they had been denied in their previous life. Jaune's hands roamed across Pyrrha's body in a desperate attempt to experience ever inch of her body. Pyrrha, equally desperate to deepen their connection, rocked against Jaune. Green eyes met blue and a conversation beyond words and even the Siarad communication was held in that moment. There was more than desire, more than lust, and even more than lust in that moment. As Jaune thrust and Pyrrha rolled her hips in concert, they never felt more alive. Each moment created music. A million notes of emotion, connection, pleasure, and want created an unmistakable and unforgettable symphony. There was truly no need for words, but Pyrrha and Jaune made an attempt regardless.

"I can't..." Jaune tried to articulate. His voice hitched and rebelled. It was almost as if his voice realized how out of place it was in the symphony the lovers were producing.

"Close..." Pyrrha mummered as she buried her face in the crook of Jaune's neck. Her own voice, like Jaune's vocalizations, felt out of place in their descant.

Spurred on by the desire, an air of _violence_ entered Pyrrha and Jaune's concerto. The melody lost some of its gentle passion, but a desperate and hauntingly discordant cadence filled the air. Pyrrha and Jaune were filling a void neither had realized existed. The universe had deigned to deny even the most distant hint at such spiritual fulfillment. It was impossible to deny the physical pleasure that came from the caress of Jaune against Pyrrha. Pyrrha and Jaune had practically melted together. Their experiences in this moment were only comparable to when Pyrrha unlocked Jaune's Aura in the previous playthorugh. Desperate for a deeper connection that words could not express, Jaune and Pyrrha's lips met yet again.

In the end, they came. Their bodies were unusually sensitive from nearly two lifetimes of deprivation. Fire spread from the point of their union and the contractions around Jaune's member to every nerve, muscle, and point of their bodies. Pyrrha, driven into ecstasy that was beyond anything she had even _dreamed_ of experiencing. The beautiful Mistrali reached out for a lifeline to draw her back towards reality and gripped tightly onto Jaune.

As the high of the climax faded, Jaune started half-shouting. "Ow, ow, ow!"

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha cried out. In her desperate attempt to latch onto something real as her senses had been overwhelmed by the finale of the symphony, Pyrrha had clawed deeply into Jaune's back.

"It'll be fine, my Aura will..." Jaune trailed off. "Crap."

"Crap?" Pyrrha asked with her head cocked to the side a bit. "Jaune...you don't have your Aura activated yet?"

"Completely forgot about it. Besides...I wanted...I want my Aura unlocked by you...the same way it was last time. That...that meant so much to me. That was something that was _ours._ I...I didn't want to let that moment be taken from us, Pyrrha."

Jaune's partner nuzzled into his chest. "I have the 'skill' needed to unlock your Aura. We can do that once we reach the forest."

"Good plan. I...may have an outside the box idea to make one hundred and fifty percent sure we are partners."

"Oh?" Pyrrha asked. "What kind of clever idea do you have?"

"Well, for one, I _won't_ suggest going into the Deathstalker cave. Even if JNPR was completely badass in taking it out," Jaune explained.

"We were very good, weren't we?" Pyrrha laughed as Jaune pulled her down as he stretched out.

"Mhm," Jaune semi-articulated. He was holding onto Pyrrha as if someone would burst into the room and take her away.

"This 'game' will be very different from our last," Pyrrha swore.

And she would be proven right.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Yay! Updated on time. Once again, I'd like to thank Racellos for his excellent work in beta'ing this chapter. He's single-handedly responsible for parts of this not reading like an academic paper on South Carolina Textile Mill Unionization during the Progressive Era (which I once had to write a 65 page paper on...using at least four primary sources. I wanted to _**die**_ )

Now for good news/bad news.

First, the bad news. I'm not sure if the next chapter will be published next Friday. I've caught up on completed chapters. Summer is also coming to a close and starting next week, I'll have to start easing my way back into the real world. August 22 is D-Day. A new set of students will begin their 8th grade year and I'll be responsible for herding cats, I mean teaching them about South Carolina and US history. Yay me. I'm looking so forward to have classes of around 30 students! Last year spoiled me. I had an average class size of **sixteen**. It was amazing.

Now for the good news, I **have** started Chapter 4. So far, I've got 1200 words. This fic tends to have longer chapters. No telling when I'll get it done. The response to this fic has been great. If the reviews keep coming in like they have been, I'll claw my way to my computer after work (likely 11ish hour days every day) and write a few hundred words a day.

Thank you for the excellent response. I appreciate all the support.


	4. Mission: Initiation Go!

[Now loading…]

Jaune and Pyrrha were going to have to work to get used to seeing that every morning before they opened their eyes. They _weren't_ going to have to do anything to get used to seeing each other first thing in the morning.

Pyrrha yawned into Jaune's chest and nuzzled against him. "Do we _really_ have to get up?"

"Afraid so. We do have to become Hunters, save our friends, kill that one bitch, and save the world," Jaune teased.

"Is there a game setting where we can just have this moment?" Pyrrha hugged Jaune tighter.

Jaune kissed the top of her head. "Maybe we can get New Game Plus after beating this playthrough. Start off early, defeat the bad guys super quick since New Game Plus transfers over all our stats and spend the rest of our days somewhere pleasant on the beach."

"That would be grand," Pyrrha whispered as she got up and stretched. "How long do we have before Professor Goodwitch calls us to the Cliffs?"

"Probably soon. Remember, our HUD has a clock," Jaune pointed out.

Pyrrha squinted as she tried to focus on her HUD. "I...I never noticed! The second ring around the compass!"

"Yup. It's probably a hidden feature. Congrats, we're now veterans of this game," Jaune congratulated Pyrrha.

"Why wasn't that mentioned?" Pyrrha asked after giving Jaune a quick kiss and slipping off the bed. Jaune didn't quite follow suit.

~Jaune,~ Pyrrha reached out with Siarad in an attempt to train herself to use it more. ~Enjoying the view?~

~Always,~ Jaune answered. They searched the room for their clothes and departed back to the room. Fortunately, they were fairly early. Most people were packing up and didn't notice them slip in. Jaune nodded at Pyrrha. ~I _really_ need some breakfast.~

The pair slipped into the kitchen and their willpower nearly crumbled. Nora was going through her clever spiel about how they need to work out a secret signal so they could be on the same team. Pyrrha and Jaune ate quickly.

"I'll take our trays. I'll meet you in the locker room," Jaune offered. Pyrrha took his hand for a moment and ran her thumb across his knuckles. She was glad he would be properly equipped when they went to the Emerald Forest, but she could grow fond of this little gesture.

They separated with reluctance, despite knowing they would never truly be separated again thanks to their secret chat connection. Still, the Hoplite wished for Jaune's presence. She was already feeling boxed in by the attention of the crowd. However, Pyrrha ignored the gobsmacked looks she was receiving. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder after giving in to her curiosity and had to bite her lip to keep smirking as realization struck the masses she had been with Jaune.

Happy memories guided Pyrrha quickly to the locker rooms. She always felt at home at Beacon and the simple opportunity to have a second chance filled her with glee. It was a trivial thing to locate and open her locker. A smile worked its way to her lips as she took in a familiar sight. Eagerly, Pyrrha collected her weapons and spun the familiar weight of Milo around on her palm. There was no need to use her Semblance to assist her. Pyrrha knew and treasured every detail of her weapon. It was _hers._ Every Primary Combat School student at the very least designed their weapons. Pyrrha had been very involved in Milo and Akouo and she nearly cried the first time she had held them again.

~Jaune, I can't believe I am this excited. Can you _please_ tell me your plan?~ Pyrrha reached out to her partner.

~Miss Nikos! That sounds like the tone of a girl used to peaking at her Winter Solstice Festival gifts!~

Pyrrha clicked her tongue. ~Jaune, I only did that once!~

~You admit it! My image is shattered!~ Jaune wailed.

"Ah, good morning Pyrrha!" Weiss unknowingly cut in.

"Good morning. Forgive me, but I don't believe I caught your name earlier," Pyrrha was grateful for the neutral dialog options.

"Weiss Schnee, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Pyrrha," Weiss answered with a curtsy.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Weiss." Pyrrha completed her dialogue selection.

Weiss smiled warmly, but controlled, while her hands came together as if in prayer. "So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well known individual as yourself!"

Pyrrha hummed for a moment to buy time as she looked at the options presented to her. First, was Jaune's name. She _was_ going to pick that, but dallied on the menu. Pyrrha assumed that Jaune was the first choice due to his status as her co-op partner. The next options were two for Weiss. One was a standard option, but the other! Pyrrha was beginning to regret having the first level skill for "Conversation". She didn't need it anymore now that her conversations with Jaune weren't dictated by the dialogue wheel. The choices, Pyrrha nearly shuddered, were quite scandalous. The second conversation option was all but openly propositioning the Schnee Heiress! It was also yellow, which raised several questions Pyrrha wasn't ready to confront.

The next options were for Ruby and Yang. Pyrrha was exceptionally grateful that there were no other options.

Quickly, Pyrrha selected Jaune instead of the final option. The final option had been the choice forced upon her in the last game.

Pyrrha's gaze wandered for a moment before settling on Jaune as he entered the locker room. "I am hoping to be on a team with Jaune Arc, actually."

"Who?" Weiss asked as she scanned the room. The heiress's brow scrunched up and her smile melted into a flat line. "You mean...tall, blond, and scraggly over there?"

"Oh yes," Pyrrha answered. After the dialogue finished, Pyrrha wanted to find PNKE and destroy them. The tone of voice she used was the tone she would use _with_ Jaune. Pyrrha, with great haste, chose a more standard option for her next words. "I believe Jaune will surprise a great many people. I have the utmost faith in his potential."

"That's...sweet of you," Weiss added nonplussed. The Schnee Heiress was not used to being caught so flat-footed, if Pyrrha was reading the reaction correctly.

"Pyrrha! And, uh, _miss?"_ Jaune asked.

"Weiss Schnee," the heiress introduced herself with a curtsy. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Jaune. Pyrrha has spoken _highly_ of you."

"Jaune is kind of a big deal!" Ruby shouted as she rounded the closest bank of lockers.

"A very big deal," Pyrrha agreed. She grinned at Jaune. As long as _they_ were conversing, there were no constraints from the dialogue options.

~You're having too much fun,~ Jaune reached out.

~I feel liberated. And...being with you makes me feel brave.~

 **Quest Received! [Mission Start: Beacon Initiation!]**

"All First Year students, please report for Initiation," the voice of Glynda Goodwitch filled the locker room.

"It's finally here!" Nora shouted. Pyrrha and Jaune exchanged hopeful looks. Nora was a cannonball of optimism. Memories of their ginger-haired friend shouting "Tally-ho!" during spars brought a smile to their face.

"She's enthusiastic," Jaune said with a warm grin. It was hard to leave out 'still' in his statement, but he managed.

~So, Jaune,~ Pyrrha reached out. ~What is your plan?~

Jaune simply smiled at his best friend. Pyrrha pouted at the enigmatic gesture. She was curious and Jaune was being completely unfair. He was teasing her mercilessly!

[Now Loading…]

Pyrrha and Jaune regained control while walking towards the launching pads. Jaune, came to a complete stop, randomly, and barely managed to side-step Nora.

"Sorry. Lost in thought," Jaune chose a quick neutral option.

"It's fine! Isn't it Ren? Oh, by the way, I'm Nora! Are you as excited as we are?"

Jaune couldn't help but smile. One, it was _Nora_. Two, Jaune was reconnecting with one of his closest friends. Three, even the game could tell Ren and Nora were an item. There wasn't a flirt option in the conversation with Nora.

"I'm excited," Jaune agreed using a friendly teasing option. "but I think you've got enthusiasm covered for all of us."

"Well, I have to have a bit extra for Ren here. Say hello, Ren," Nora chirped.

"Hello," Ren 'introduced' himself with a slight nod.

Jaune wasted no time in selecting the universal male greeting of "Sup?"

"Ready to get started," Ren answered with a vertical head tilt.

"Same," Jaune agreed with a corresponding vertical head tilt.

"Okay! Time out!" Nora yelled. This drew the attention of Pyrrha and the future Team RWBY. "How do guys have a full conversation in under ten words?"

"Body language is as important in men's conversation as words," Ren pointed out helpfully.

"Really?" Yang piped in.

"Seriously, what she said," Nora added.

Ren and Jaune exchanged a look, a shrug, and a horizontal tilt. Jaune grinned. "It's just how it is."

Ruby leaned closer to Pyrrha. "You probably understand _boys_ better than any of us. Could you translate?"

~What _did_ you and Ren say in that 'conversation'?~ Pyrrha asked.

~Exactly what I said,~ Jaune confirmed.

Pyrrha sighed. "I don't think they were hiding anything."

"Dang, I was hoping for some deeper mystery," Ruby admitted.

"Well, men _are_ dumb," Yang pointed out.

Ruby crossed her arms. "What about Dad and Uncle Qrow?"

Yang huffed a single laugh and rested her fists on her hips. Ruby sighed. "You're right..."

Glynda Goodwitch strolled over. Her expression was flat. "Students, we have much to accomplish today. Socialization can wait until after Initiation and team assignments."

~The game probably wants us to get back on the quest,~ Jaune explained. ~Glynda's babysitting us players so we don't screw with a story mission too much.~

Pyrrha nodded in response. She was by no means a 'video game' expert, but there was no denying Jaune's explanation made sense.

A gasp escaped from Ruby's lips. "We're getting teams and partners... _today?'_

"As soon as you all take your place on a platform, Professor Ozpin will go into further detail," Glynda explained.

"Um, Professor Goodwitch, you said _a_ platform correct?" Jaune asked.

"That is correct, Mr. Arc," Professor Goodwitch answered.

~The plan is go,~ Jaune continued his merciless teasing.

~Are you going to tell me?~ Pyrrha asked. The curiosity had become like an itch in the back of her mind.

Everyone, save Jaune, quickly took their place on a platform. Pyrrha managed to secure the same platform as in her first 'playthrough'.

"Excuse me, miss? Could you scoot over a few inches?" Jaune asked. His voice hitched in an attempt to keep his laughter from spilling out.

Ozpin stopped in front of the shared platform. He raised an eyebrow before mimicking the action with his mug and taking an overly long sip.

~Do you think he's mad, Pyrrha?~ Jaune asked.

~I don't think so. My manager drilled the finer points of body language into my head from a young age. Did you see the wrinkles around Ozpin's eyes?~

~Yeah..~"

~Professor Ozpin was smiling, Jaune,~ Pyrrha assured Jaune.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be tested in the Emerald Forest," Ozpin cut into the silence.

Professor Goodwitch stepped forward. "I am sure some of you have heard rumors about the assignment of "teams". Let me put those rumors to rest. You will be assigned teams...today."

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye-contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

There was a murmur in the assembled students. Nora crowed "Told you so, Ren!"

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you _will_ die," Ozpin continued when the chatter died down.

Pyrrha and Jaune took the opportunity to gauge the reactions of their classmates and friends. There were quite a number of people _very_ annoyed with Jaune for his stunt. That, honestly, was the least of Jaune and Pyrrha's worries. The Nevermore and Deathstalker were much higher on the list.

[Quest updated: Recover relic and return to cliff.]

"Are there any questions?"

"Yes!" Weiss announced crisply.

"Go ahead, Miss Weiss," Ozpin answered with a gesture with his mug.

Weiss brightened after being addressed as _Weiss_ and not _Miss Schnee_. Pyrrha frowned, both at the coming question and at the camaraderie she felt with the heiress in that moment.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Weiss said quickly. "If I may, is Jaune allowed to be on Pyrrha's platform?"

"She's right," Cardin shouted from further down the line. "That's cheating."

Ozpin shrugged. "The instructions were quite clear Weiss. Every student must be on _a_ platform. Jaune is clearly on _a_ platform. There is no violation of the rules here. The question was well founded, Weiss. Hunters require information to be successful. Questions are never frowned upon. Accusations based on incomplete information or biases _are."_

That was amazing. I almost forgot how completely furious I am with Professor Ozpin for a moment.~ Jaune sent a quick message to Pyrrha.

~This time, we will be ready,~ Pyrrha reassured Jaune.

"Good luck," Ozpin said. The _timing_ of Ozpin's statement put Jaune and Pyrrha on edge. Seconds later, they were in the air.

~Shields up!~ Jaune and Pyrrha communicated at the same time. They formed an impromptu shield wall to protect them during their 'landing strategy'. Jaune was in very good shape, even without his Aura and made it safely to the ground. The couple turned and smiled at each other. Everything was going according to…

[Quest Area Tutorial! Welcome to the Emerald Forest! The Emerald Forest is the first of many procedurally generated regions you will explore in Beacon: Academy. Quest Areas have a defined boundary. If you leave the Quest Area, the quest _will fail_. Failed Quests do not result in a game over. You will have to live with the consequences! Good luck!]

"Oh no," Jaune hissed.

Pyrrha looked around their 'landing zone'. "Everything looks the same, Jaune."

"We are pretty deep in the forest. Unless you're a veteran Hunter or a forester, I'd bet every tree looks the same. Have you ever heard of 'procedurally generated'?"

"I...I don't think that I have," Pyrrha answered. ~And shouldn't we be communicating this way?~

~I know Ozpin is watching us. I just don't know if he can _hear_ us.~ "Basically, everything is random. There's no way to know how the forest is set up."

"The game can do that?" Pyrrha whispered. Jaune nodded. "So much for counting on using the terrain to our advantage."

Jaune gave Pyrrha a flat look. "You're still amazing. We can still do that."

Pyrrha responded to the flat look with a roll of the eyes. "You know what I meant."

"Right, sorry," Jaune answered. They were best friends and lovers, but they were still a pair of socially awkward dorks that had communication issues.

"It's alright," Pyrrha punctuated her point with a hug. "We should unlock your Aura."

Tears welled in Jaune's eyes. This moment had consoled him in his previous 'life' and reaching this moment was one of the driving forces of his second chance. Pyrrha's hand rested gentle on Jaune's chest.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."

[Your Aura has been unlocked! You will now be able to wield powerful new abilities and will be able to better protect yourself in combat. Enemy attacks will drain your current Aura before draining health. Be aware that certain weapons or abilities bypass Aura completely!] Jaune blinked as the information sapped some of the momentum from the wonderful moment.

Pyrrha was equally thrown for a loop when a simple, [Aura 1/5 unlocked! XP Gained!]

Jaune nearly panicked as Pyrrha swayed after the ritual. "Pyrrha!"

"I, oh, I'll be alright. According to my 'Skill Table', I used half my Aura and will recover at a slower rate for a few hours," Pyrrha explained.

"What? Half?!"Jaune squawked.

Pyrrha sighed under the shock of using so much Aura. "That is what the game says."

~I will be at your side,~ Jaune promised. Pyrrha wrapped Jaune in a hug.

~Always,~ Pyrrha promised.

The stinging retort of gunfire served as a poignant reminder of Jaune and Pyrrha's situation. They were in the Emerald Forest. There were Grimm.

And there were no longer any guarantees.

"You always had a better ear for guns," Jaune complimented his partner.

Pyrrha looked around. "It came from the east. About four hundred meters, thought the forest makes it difficult to pinpoint."

After a moment, she smiled. "I suppose this explains why my Skill Table offers a tracking skill..."

"I wonder if we can look at each others stats and table?" Jaune asked.

"We should definitely see if that is a possibility," Pyrrha agreed. "We haven't used Siraad in a while."

Jaune chuckled as he ambled over to a nearby oak. "I just missed your voice. There's just something special about _hearing_ it again."

"Very special," Pyrrha concurred in a breathy voice. The young woman enjoyed the view as her partner climbed the tree.

"You're not going to pin me to this tree, are you?" Jaune teased.

~Maybe when you get down...~Pyrrha responded and attempted to send a mental image along with the message.

"Crap!" Jaune cried out as Pyrrha succeeded in her teasing. She had been controlled so much in her past life/playthrough and even in her life up to this point that it was likely she was _over correcting_ and going a bit wild.

' _This freedom_ with _Jaune is intoxicating,'_ The Hoplite freely admitted to herself.

"Good news! I _don't_ see any scary huge Grimm. Bad news! I _hear_ a ton of Grimm," Jaune called out from the top of the tree.

"What about the others? Do you seen Ren, Nora, and anyone else?"

"I _think_ I saw an Ursa take flight, so that's where Nora or Yang might be," Jaune answered as he used his years of tree climbing experience to quickly get down with out skinning his elbows or knees.

Pyrrha smiled. She often wondered where Nora stored all her energy. That was a question she was looking forward to slipping into a conversation with her dear friend.

"Which way to the Temple?" The conversation with Nora could wait until JNPR was reunited.

"South. I'm surprised the game hasn't given us a guide ping or something like that," Jaune admitted.

"It would appear the game wants to emulate...life," Pyrrha supplied uncertainly.

Jaune hummed. "Maybe, but we did turn off full immersion. Oh well, we can worry about that later. Let's just head to the Temple, get our artifact and put a few Grimm down."

The partners worked their way through the Emerald Forest, while keeping a close eye on their surroundings and their compass. A Grimm ambush was the _last_ thing Pyrrha and Jaune wanted to experience.

~Do you think we will encounter the Deathstalker?~ Pyrrha reached out through the Siraad link. She didn't want to draw the attention of any Grimm in the area.

~Probably not. I am _not_ going in that cave again,~ Jaune answered humorously. ~Who knows what the game will throw at us as a boss.~

"Grimm!" Pyrrha shouted as her compass flashed red and a shrill chime filled her 'ears'.

A pack of Beowolves exploded from the treeline. The ravenous Grimm were tearing terrible gashes into the earth in their unholy desire to kill. "Now!" Jaune cried.

The sound of hoplon and heater shields striking each other as the Hoplite and Knight formed a shield wall. Pyrrha and Jaune were braced and ready well before the Grimm arrived. The couple stood steadfast in the face of the universal enemy of life. Swords flashed in the dim light of the forest.

~I'm going to try something!~ Jaune reached out to Pyrrha. ~One of my Shield Mastery skills lets me extend coverage. I'm doing that now.~

~Do you want me to attack?~

Jaune nodded. ~You're a lot more mobile than I am. These aren't the biggest Beowolves ever. Try to thin out the group charging us!~

Pyrrha nodded, but Jaune quickly added a, ~Please!~ before she could respond. Jaune immediately began channeling his Aura through the shield of Crocea Mors. Pyrrha sprinted to the right, leaping onto one of the trees surrounding the clearing and taking aim at the Grimm. Silver flames grew from the edges of Jaune's shield, one of the attacking Beowolves recoiling from their touch as if burned. Jaune's long sword took advantage of the opening, cold steel biting deep into the exposed chest of the Grimm. Jaune tore the blade free, scrambling back as the fallen Beowolf was replaced by another leaping at him from the left. The beast was older and smarter, circling around to Jaune's side as he was distracted with the younger and far more aggressive Beowolf.

Jaune was unafraid.

He knew _exactly_ what was about to happen.

Miló played its deadly percussive song. The Beowolves collapsed like a house of cards under Pyrrha's assault. Jaune pushed forward into the opening left by the fallen Grimm.

~Left, four meters,~ Jaune informed Pyrrha.

~Two more Beowolves coming from behind! Swing...now!~ Pyrrha warned her partner.

The final Beowolf fell a few minutes later, but it felt like an eternity.

"How many? How many did we get?" Jaune labored to ask. He slumped against a downed tree. In the previous game, he had fought Ursa and Creep. Jaune had never fought so _many_ Grimm without substantial back up before. He remembered how many Grimm had swarmed up from the ground at the Battle of the Breach.

"Jaune, we'll be better prepared this time," Pyrrha comforted.

The young man nodded. "Yeah, but I had almost forgotten how tough fighting Grimm can be."

"It is very different than fighting people," Pyrrha agreed. She walked over and offered Jaune a hand.

Jaune accepted Pyrrha's hand and got to his feet. "Thanks, Pyrrha. We should get going."

"May I suggest _not_ going into the Deathstalker cave?" Pyrrha giggled at Jaune's flat look. She knew that Jaune had said he wasn't going into the cave, but the banter back and forth was very fun.

"And lose the opportunity to look so awesome taking it down? Where is the fun in that, Miss Nikos?" Jaune teased right back.

"In making it back safely and quickly to Beacon, _together."_ Pyrrha eased the teasing with an answer born from a moment of earnestness.

"Huh, that's a good point," Jaune agreed.

The partners headed out into the woods. They kept a close eye on their compass as they advanced. Occasionally, the din of combat would fill Jaune and Pyrrha's ears.

"Maybe I really should invest in tracking..." Pyrrha wondered aloud.

"What's some of the skills?" Jaune asked.

"I'm going to pull up my journal. Cover me." Pyrrha froze in place as she finished. After a moment Pyrrha explained, "Well, the first level allows me to identify tracks of Grimm and people. Second level improves the information I receive. The remaining levels allow me to pull up detailed information and a marker for objectives in my HUD."

Jaune blinked. "That's...really good. When we get back to Beacon, we need to pause the game and compare our skill tables. If we can work out even more synergy, that can really boost our chances of surviving this so that we can retire on a beach somewhere together."

"A beach? I like the idea." Pyrrha smiled at the image. "What did you have in mind?"

"Mostly? Somewhere you won't have to be the world's most adorable burrito like that one weekend before the Vytal Festival."

"That weekend with the cold spell? I was miserable! How could I be adorable?" Pyrrha asked with a hint of annoyance. She _was_ glad Jaune was thinking of her fondly, but that circumstance wasn't her favorite.

"If I had pictures, I'd show you. But I wanted to hug you," Jaune admitted.

' _Another reason to hate last game's settings...'_ Pyrrha and Jaune thought to themselves at the same time.

"Jaune, _please,_ help me talk Ren and Nora into getting a space heater this time," Pyrrha pleaded.

"I have full dialogue control this time," Jaune reminded Pyrrha. "I promise that we'll get a space heater."

Pyrrha wrapped her arms around Jaune with all of her breathtaking, excitement-borne strength. The hug loosened as Pyrrha leaned closer. The hairs on the back of Jaune's neck stood straight up as the light caress of Pyrrha's breath in his ear hit home. "We have _other_ ways to warm up, too."

"I love the new settings," Jaune said dumbly.

Pyrrha, starved in the last game of choice and physical affection, gave Jaune a quick kiss on the cheek. "We need to get a relic."

"I'm definitely ready to get out of these woods and start being _Hunters_."

"I'm definitely ready to be right beside you the entire way," Pyrrha agreed.

The trek through the woods was carried out with military precision. Pyrrha and Jaune used their connection from their previous life, Siraad, and their HUD to traverse the mission area. They were brimming with confidence.

~Let's meet up with Ren and Nora,~ Jaune reached out excitedly to Pyrrha.

~I was worried when you talked about 'Procedurally Generated', but this is working out beautifully!~ Pyrrha responded with equal enthusiasm. The lack of Grimm helped reinforce their good mood.

"Jaune! Pyrrha!" A familiar and chipper voice called out. The laughter that followed danced around the trees.

As did the 'whoosh'.

"Hi." Ruby Rose skidded to a stop.

"Hello again," Pyrrha selected the first dialogue option. She _was_ rather fond of it.

"Sup, Ruby?" Jaune also went with the basic dialogue option. His next choice was "Have you found a partner yet?" from the 'Inquiry' option.

"Yup!" Ruby responded with a popped 'p'.

Jaune and Pyrrha were waiting for Ruby to announce Weiss, or for the heiress to shout something like, "Wait up, dolt!"

Instead, Jaune reached out through Siraad. ~Pause the game! Concentrate on bringing up a menu!~

Pyrrha concentrated on pausing the game. Miraculously, Jaune's instruction worked. ~Jaune...what is happening?~

~We've really gone off the rails,~ Jaune gulped.

~Ruby's partner _was_ Weiss!~ Pyrrha balked.

That, however, was no longer the case. As the gamers stared at a frozen and slightly grayed out Emerald Forest, they struggled to comprehend the fact that Ruby Rose was partnered with Blake Belladonna.

Pyrrha and Jaune were now wrestling with just how prophetic Pyrrha's words from the previous night truly were.

Everything _was_ different.

~We can deal with this. It's not a _huge_ change,~ Jaune tried to rationalize.

Pyrrha hummed nervously. ~You are right. We can handle this.~

~Together,~ Jaune repeated their mantra. The game resumed as Blake stalked around a copse of saplings.

"And your partner thinks we should stick together," Blake answered in an amused tone that would not have been out place in central Vacuo or Eastern Menagerie.

"So! Let's all stick together and get a relic!" Ruby exclaimed.

Jaune and Pyrrha could only nod and wonder what else the game would throw at them. Just how much could they count on their previous knowledge?

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Guess what's back!

As always, I'd like to thank Racellos for the excellent beta work. The entire fight vs Beowolves is his. My original take sucked honestly. His is much better.

I posted a new fic. "In Vino Veritas". The cover art is _incredible_. I'd like to thank WarrenDSherman for the incredible work he did. Please check out his fics, particularly the excellent and underappreciated "From Embers to Dust"

Another recommendation is Harmonious Arkos Sloth's Oneshots. Definitely give them a read as well.

Hope y'all enjoy!


	5. Mission: Initiation Complete!

Jaune and Pyrrha were both _exceptionally_ grateful for the dialogue options at this very moment. The game would help remove the naked panic from their voices at the sudden change in expectations.

"Let's make sure we stick together. There are a lot of Grimm out there," Pyrrha quickly selected the most neutral option.

"That sounds like a good idea you two," Jaune quickly agreed.

Ruby beamed. "Let's go!"

"She's something else," Blake echoed.

Jaune smiled. "Ever had a friend like Ruby before, Blake?" Curiosity had egged Jaune into choosing 'Inquiry'.

[Partial Success!]

' _Partial Success? What does that even mean?'_ ~Pyrrha, remind me to read the instruction manual when we get back to Beacon...~

~Of course, Jaune,~ Pyrrha promised through the Siraad team-chat.

"I… No, none like Ruby," Blake agreed. Tension danced across the young woman's face. Odds were that Jaune only recognized the reaction because the game _wanted_ Jaune to recognize the reaction.

"Well," Jaune selected a more positive statement for his follow-up. "I'm sure we'll figure it all out together."

"Yeah, I'm sure we will." Blake looked visibly relieved.

Jaune took the hint and returned his focus to the Grimm infested forest. So far, his compass hadn't provided a warning. However, the game had stated only a _horde_ would set off the alert. _'Fantastic,'_ Jaune thought.

He needed a plan…

Further ahead, Pyrrha was engaging in a fierce battle. It _was_ civil. However, passions were starting to boil over.

"Type-4 rounds are too 'jack-of-all-trades'," Ruby huffed.

"True," Pyrrha agreed. "I am impressed with your knowledge of weapons."

Ruby beamed. "Then you should listen to the expert!"

Pyrrha, cheekily, selected the Inquiry option. "So, what type of rounds would work best for Miló in your expert opinion? I'm always looking to improve."

[Success! XP Gained!]

"Oh! Oh! You focus on recoil for your mechashift weapon and mid to long range, right?"

Pyrrha nodded in response to Ruby's question. The younger teen continued. "I use Type-6. That round has _huge_ recoil and even better ballistics at extreme ranges."

The Huntresses fell silent as they scanned the treeline. They had _not_ forgotten where they were. Silence was danger. Birds and wildlife had fled.

"Grimm," Pyrrha hissed. ~Jaune, we will need you and Blake soon.~

~On it!~ Jaune replied.

"That's Yang!"

Ruby's cry split the eerie silence. Blake immediately drew her weapons. Jaune nodded. Pyrrha understood instantly. Siraad chat or speech was not needed. The canopy of the forest barely moved to mark Pyrrha's passing.

"Nevermore!" Pyrrha reported.

"What are those snowflakes?" Blake asked.

Pyrrha flinched at the question. She was shocked that Blake managed to sneak up on her so easily. "How?"

"Practice," Blake grinned at Pyrrha's wide-eyed surprise. "But what is going on over there?"

"I really can't see anything! Fill me in?" Jaune shouted from the forest floor.

Aiming through her scope, Pyrrha tried to follow a yellow blur using the ethereal snowflakes to propel herself upwards. "That… is unique."

"Yang is jumping between those glowing, squiggly lines! It's so cool, but…"

Jaune selected the most comforting option. His hand came to rest on Ruby's shoulder. "Have faith in your sister. I'm sure this isn't the first time doing something crazy… awesome like that."

[Success! XP Gained] "No…" Ruby agreed with a negative. "And I guess its better than the time at Junior's Club since she has backup right now."

"I'm not saying that you can't worry about your sister. I'd be freaking out if it was one of my sisters, but I'd believe in them."

Ruby nodded, but was ready to protest. Jaune deftly continued. "We're still going to back them up though. Who knows what else is out there?"

 **[BOSS BATTLE!]**

~Feel free to punch me later, Pyrrha,~ Jaune communicated.

~I'm not getting any alerts about the Grimm,~ Pyrrha stated.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Blake said. "Listen."

Crescent Rose announced her presence with the _snap_ of a chambered round and the scythe-blade extending into its combat form. Pyrrha and Jaune were standing next to Ruby and the sound was barely above the snap of a person's fingers. The incessant popping and creaking of the woods around them as _something_ approached.

~We aren't dealing with a horde,~ Jaune announced. ~This is just one Grimm.~

Pyrrha pulled Miló, in its rifle-form, tight to her shoulder. ~Then it is one Grimm. I… don't think we are dealing with the Deathstalker.~

Trees swayed, and even fell, as the Grimm advanced. "Scatter!" Ruby and Jaune shouted simultaneously.

It struck like a thunderbolt. Baleful red eyes stared down the assembled huntresses and lone huntsman.

"That's a new one!" Blake hissed.

"A Beringel..." Pyrrha announced.

As if to reinforce the point, the massively muscled monstrosity pounded its chest. The Beringel was a very rare Grimm _supposedly_ native to Mistral. No one present had ever heard of a Beringel in Vale.

Much less a Grimm three times Blake's height.

"Blake!" Ruby yelled.

The Beringel's punch passed through the smokey remnant of Blake's Semblance. Ruby, Pyrrha, and Jaune felt a sense of relief that was short lived. The Grimm ripped a boulder from the ground with a howl.

~Pyrrha! Arkos in front of Ruby!~ Jaune suggested. The partners moved in unison. They barely got in front of the rock as their friend dodged out of the way. Ruby rolled to her right and brought rifle-form Crescent Rose to her shoulder.

Ruby's fearsome weapon released a thunderous fusilade. A series of quick _crack-crack-cracks_ of Gambol Shroud joined in the assault. The thick 'bone' plates formed a powerful armor and even Crescent Rose had trouble punching through.

"We need a plan!" Ruby shouted.

"Working on it! Do you have an idea, Ruby?" Jaune responded.

Ruby dodged a hammer blow from the Grimm. "This thing is too fast and armored!"

' _You don't have to tell me twice,'_ Jaune thought with a grimace. His left forearm throbbed where the boulder had struck the shield of Crocea Mors. "Shit!"

Pyrrha barely heard Jaune's curse before the monstrous Grimm landed in their midst. At odds with its enormous size, the Beringel moved with speed and purpose. The beast brought down another hammer blow against Pyrrha.

"Scatter!" Blake called out. The 'r' in scatter morphed into a frustrated growl.

The Grimm's hammer blow grazed Pyrrha and shattered the earth. A red flash alerted Pyrrha to the drop in her Aura levels. _'I was just grazed by that thing's knuckles! What would a direct hit have done?'_

Miló barked as Pyrrha fired off round after round to at least draw the Grimm's attention away from her friends.

"We aren't doing enough damage!" Jaune shouted.

"There has to be _something_ we can do!" Ruby hissed. "Even Crescent Rose is having issues with this doodoo head."

~Doodoo head?~ Jaune asked.

~Worry about that later!~ Pyrrha countered as she dodged a series of over-sized boulders thrown by the boss.

"He's attacking in a pattern!" Jaune announced.

"Great!" Ruby responded. "How does that help us?"

Jaune smiled. "I've got a plan now!"

The Beringel roared as soon as the last rock was thrown. The abomination tensed as it prepared to launch another attack.

 **[DANGER!]**

A red path appeared in front of the Grimm. Jaune and Pyrrha yelled, "Blake!" at the same time. The warning barely reached their friend in time. Blake managed to avoid the majority of the Grimm's physical charge, but a mysterious cone of energy burned Blake's sides.

"Blake! Are you okay?" Ruby called out.

Blake grimaced. "I'll be okay! I don't understand how that got past my Aura!"

~Boss logic sucks,~ Jaune explained. "We have to cut down on its mobility! Blake! Can you wrap that asshole's legs?"

"If it bounds its chest before throwing rocks at us, yes!" Blake answered.

"It will!" Jaune answered; calling on his video game knowledge. "Pyrrha! When Blake trips it, I want you to stab its right hand. I'll be going for the Beringel's left."

"What about me?" Ruby asked in between potshots at the beast.

"Simple," Jaune answered with a smile promising brutality. "I want you to put Crescent Rose's blade right through its brain."

[Success! XP Gained!] "I like this plan," Ruby shouted out with glee.

[Success! XP Gained!] Blake grinned. "It is risky, but we can do this!"

The, currently, ad hoc team was trying to herd the Beringel into a more advantageous position.

~Finally!~ Pyrrha communicated through Siraad.

"Blake! Showtime!" Jaune shouted.

Blake dashed forward, using her Semblance to distract the Beringel. It was spiteful, but Blake made sure to cut at the 'tendons' of the Grimm as she wrapped Gambol Shroud's ribbon around its feet. She made sure to land a flip kick to the chin of the Beringel which knocked the beast on its back. The cloud of dust barely had time to settle before Pyrrha and Jaune descended from the heavens like a pair of meteorites. Crocea Mors and Miló were buried up to the hilt in the Beringel's hands.

Jaune had expected Ruby to piece the Beringel's with an attack punctuated by some kind of flip or flourish. He hadn't expected Ruby's strike to be augmented by her Semblance. The sheer force of the blow caused the Beringel's head to _explode._

"That… was impressive," Blake spoke for everyone.

Ruby flashed a radiant smile. Her silver eyes shined as she looked to her friends for approval. "So! Relic?"

The rest of initiation had been uneventful. Pyrrha, Blake, Jaune, and Ruby had reached the 'temple' and grabbed the last two relics. All that was left was the White Bishop pieces. Ruby had been beyond ecstatic that their merry band was sharing the relic type. For once, the two gamers were glad that their dialogue options were somewhat restricted.

The surprise was going to be amazing.

Blake had figured out that Jaune and Pyrrha knew more than they were letting on. Ruby practically skipped to the auditorium.

"Is something the matter, Blake?" Pyrrha asked.

"You know something about teams," Blake stated. "I've seen you and Jaune exchange a different kind of smile than the 'usual'."

Pyrrha choose the first option out of curiosity. The hyphen in the first word caught her attention. She would probably regret it… "T-The usual? I need to learn how perceptive you are, but yes, Jaune and I have a feeling about the teams."

[Success! XP up!] "The relics?"

"Yes! You are right, Blake!" Pyrrha recited the standard answer. The group arrived to the auditorium in the midst of a horde of their fellow students. Ozpin began announcing teams. Jaune and Pyrrha fought off the urge to grimace as Team CRDL was announced. The teams were so identical so far.

Then, everything went off the rails compared to last time. Jaune and Pyrrha expected the change, but it was still odd to hear Ozpin announce "Team YRNS". The name came from the Yarran tree of the Vacuo savanna.

"My sister is a team leader! Go Yang!" Ruby cheered.

~At least Ren and Nora are on a team together,~ Pyrrha said with relief.

~The universe would not separate those two.~ Jaune wanted to laugh.

Weiss, the S of YRNS, was _shocked_ that she was not a team leader. It was exactly the same look she had when Ruby had been named team leader in the previous play-through.

"Our final team..." Ozpin began to announce. Ruby continued to cheer wildly as she was very excited about her new team. "Team ABRN, or Auburn, consisting of Jaune _Arc_ , Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, and Pyrrha _Nikos._ "

~You are receiving some very unfriendly glares, Jaune,~ Pyrrha pointed out.

Jaune grinned. ~I'd be glaring at someone if _they_ got on a team with you, Blake and Ruby. One guy with the most beautiful girl in all Remnant and two of the most beautiful at Beacon? Yeah, that would be instant jealousy. I bet Ren got some glares too.~

~Flattery will get you everywhere, Jaune,~ Pyrrha finished.

"The leader of Team ABRN is… Jaune Arc! Congratulations!" Ozpin finished his pronouncement.

Jaune quickly choose the humble answer. "Thank you, Professor Ozpin. I'll do all I can to help my team be as successful as they can be!"

"Yay! Go Team ABRN!" Ruby squealed happily and jumped in the air. JNPR would always have a special place in Jaune and Pyrrha's heart, but this wasn't too bad.

* * *

Jaune was pushing a dolly stuffed to the brim with his teammates' items. The lone male of Team ABRN knew this was his fate for a while. He did, after all, have _seven_ sisters. Jaune had honestly pushed less clothing and gear around in the past.

' _Besides, volunteering got me some XP,'_ Jaune thought to himself.

He did wonder why only success got XP. ~Hey Pyrrha, I've been thinking about a game mechanic. You mentioned getting a 'Partial Success' while we were getting our stuff.~

~I did. I'm not quite sure what that means,~ Pyrrha confirmed.

Jaune was grateful a near metric-ton of girl luggage was between him and his teammates. His confused and wandering gaze was hidden from the rest of Team ABRN. ~Did you get XP for it?~

~I do not believe so,~ Pyrrha answered. ~What is the game trying to keep track of, if not experience?~

~Question for later, we're about to get on our hall.~ Jaune pointed out.

Pyrrha smiled. ~I really hope the heater works better this play through.~

~I don't know, but it was cute when you burrito-fied yourself that one morning.~

~T-Thank you.~ Pyrrha was about to espouse on the evils of below freezing temperatures when a commotion cut her off.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SMELL?!" Cardin Winchester bellowed as he backed out of Team CRDL's room. Jaune and Pyrrha blinked as they realized 'their' room was CRDL's room this go round.

~Oops?~ Pyrrha asked through her connection with Jaune.

"Seriously!" Dove followed with his face contorted in a mix of disgust and confusion. "What the heck is that stuff?"

Sky was shaking his head. "Dunno."

Russel, the last member of Team CRDL to speak up, threw his hands in the air. "At least the mattress can be cleaned! The screws in my bed were ripped out and my bed fell apart!"

Pyrrha buried her head in her hands to hide her embarrassed blush. ~How did we not notice that?~

~It isn't our fault. We didn't know _everything_ seems to be procedurally generated.~ Jaune pointed out.

~But they are talking about… well… the 'aftermath' of our night.~ Pyrrha couldn't believe that she was saying that 'out loud'. No one but Jaune _could_ hear her, but even mentioning it through their shared Siraad voice chat was almost too much.

After a beat Jaune said, ~Probably the closest CRDL will ever get to something like that.~

~Jaune!~ Pyrrha scolded for a moment. There was a pause. ~As selfish as they are… you aren't _wrong_. That is as close as they will ever get.~

"Ooooh! Here's our room!" Ruby announced. ABRN walked in and took stock of the room.

~Wait,~ Jaune called out to Pyrrha.

Pyrrha nearly stopped collecting her items, ~Is something wrong, Jaune?~

~We traded rooms with CRDL,~ Jaune revealed.

Pyrrha was _radiant_. ~We can be on the roof without a _hostile_ audience!~

"Let's get to work! I'll let you ladies choose first!" Jaune selected the option that was one step above ass-kissing and flirting.

[Success! XP Gained!]

[Success! XP Gained!]

~Success! XP Gained!~ Pyrrha added playfully.

~Figured out what that means?~ Jaune asked hopefully.

~Nope! That just appears whenever you say something right. You answered _perfectly,_ Jaune!~

Team ABRN worked on setting up the dorm room. Ruby and Blake chatted happily about books. Pyrrha joined the conversation. She selected the neutral friendly options to keep up with the rapid conversation on stories, training regimens, and explaining to Ruby how to fight in heels.

"Hey, ladies, can we talk for a bit?" Jaune asked.

Team ABRN gathered around the table in the room. Jaune smiled at his team as they sat down. "My last name may be at the start of the team's name, but we're all in this together."

Jaune joined them at the table. "We worked together so well against the Beringel. I want us to keep that up. We were _awesome_."

"I was surprised by how smoothly everything went," Blake agreed.

Ruby brought her hands close to her chin and radiated enthusiasm. "It was great! We should really work on more strategies like that! Maybe even have code names for attacks!"

"Code names sound fun," Pyrrha choose an agreeable option.

Jaune followed suit. "I think we can work something out."

"Now, for the important bit..." Jaune selected a theatrical dialogue choice. "What's the order for the bathroom… other than 'Jaune goes last'?"

"Well..." Blake started. Jaune simply sat back and let the girls settle everything.

* * *

Pyrrha tried to pretend that she hadn't seen the smirk Blake tossed her way. Jaune had gone to check in with his family in private. Pyrrha was going to do the same thing. Blake didn't buy the semi-excuse at all. _'She's been reading too much of that Ninjas of Love book. Though… I am curious about it.'_

She pushed those thoughts aside as she headed to a secluded area. It was going to be nice to talk to her parents. Pyrrha dialed her parents' contact information happily.

"Pyrrha! Oh I am so glad you called! Are you safe? Is Beacon keeping the press at bay? Let me get your father!" Pyrrha's mother bombarded Pyrrha with questions.

"My kóri! Do I need to make someone disappear?" Kassíteros entered the conversation.

"I'm safe! I made it through Initiation. And no! You do not need to make Jaune disappear!" Pyrrha selected an option she thought was safe.

Of course, it mentioned Jaune without telling her! The next few minutes were spent trying to assuage her parents' concerns about all the situations Pyrrha was facing. Pyrrha was both relieved and a tad melancholy when the call ended.

~Jaune,~ Pyrrha reached out. ~Have you finished your call?~

~Just did. Seven sisters...~ Jaune replied. ~And they all had questions. The game railroaded me into mentioning you. I think Marigold was having a fangirl heart attack. Oh, it's not for the reasons you think. Want to meet on _our_ roof and actually talk about it?~

~That sounds grand.~

It was always a bit windy on the roof. Pyrrha did not mind the cold _this time_. She had earned her second chance. Pyrrha had hope that she could correct the mistakes and have a future with everyone she loved now. This was the singular hope that had kept Pyrrha from embracing oblivion and selecting the 'Quit' option on the 'main menu'.

Pyrrha, if she was honest with herself, was still partially convinced she had gone insane. How else could she explain how she was the 'player character' in a video game?

She wasn't sure how long it had taken to claw her way back, but it had happened. In some ways, _failure_ had saved her. She had clung tightly to the happier memories. Pyrrha had desperately searched out and embraced any and all positive memories. A few may have been her subconscious reaching for hope. There were memories of being hugged by her mamá and bampás that were constructed.

They had helped save her nonetheless.

Time did not flow as expected, but that was actually an unexpected blessing. Pyrrha used every second of every day clawing for her sense of self. 'Pyrrha' had been rebuilt over the course of… months… perhaps.

She had wanted to _exist_ again.

There were little things that she missed so much. Pyrrha wanted her grandmother's eggplant mousska. She wanted her father to prop a book of fairy tales against her duck lamp and wave his arms as he told the story. Pyrrha wanted her mother to gush over a good grade. She wanted her simple post-workout shake with extra blueberries. Pyrrha wanted to wake up to Ren and Nora talking about breakfast. She wanted Jaune to flash his trademark 'I can go another round' thumbs-up after training.

It had been the simple, even mundane, things she had wanted the most.

' _Now, I have another chance. I swear to make the most of it!'_ Pyrrha declared with fervor and determination.

A smile slipped its way past her determined features. Jaune was sitting at the edge of the roof gazing out at Vale's cityscape. Pyrrha didn't need their Siraad link to know what Jaune was thinking. She stifled a giggle when Jaune nearly jumped out of his skin as she sat down. He relaxed instantly as he registered that it was _her_.

Resting her head on his shoulder, Pyrrha could only say one thing.

"We'll get it right this time."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Initiation is done! We're on to the story proper soon. As you can see, procedurally generated shenanigans abound. Hope y'all enjoy!


	6. Hiatus Annoucement

**Hiatus Notice:**

I hate when writers do this, but I do believe you all shouldn't be left in the lurch. I'm putting all my RWBY stories on hiatus for the foreseeable future. There are several reasons for my departure.

First, I haven't been hugely thrilled with the direction of canon RWBY. Volume 4 and Volume 5 have been disappointing. V4, I gave a mulligan to. It was the first volume rendered in Maya and post-Monty. The volume… felt as though it was treading water. Volume 5 started with promise, but once it it hit the house… Everything just felt stalled. Instead of addressing the Pyrrha-shaped elephant in the room… we got BIIIIIIIIIIIIIRDS. Not to say there _weren't_ great moments in V4 and V5, but the sense of stalling and other issues outweighed them from me.

Second, there is a lot of toxicity in this fanbase. I'm not a member of the subreddit, but even I know about the bumblebee song incident. It dragged the VAs into the mess. Then there was the AMA and how Miles is hestiant to write Jaune scenes because of the chorus of "He's an SI!" unwarranted criticism. I've also never seen so much cucking/NTR in a fandom. 90% of it is trolling of Arkos. I have never seen any other pairing targeted in the same manner. Speaking of which, you may have noticed that "Extra Curricular" is gone. That's no coincidence. I tried writing NTR. Damn near threw up. Deleted everything I had worked on past the first chapter. If "Extra Curricular" comes back, it will probably be a mix of lemons and slice of life oneshots… and exclusively Arkos.

The final reason is somewhat connected to the previous. The last straw in my decision to step back from this fandom is my experiences on a fairly well known RWBY, primarily Jaune, centric server. I met some great people on that server and had some good times. However, I never felt that Arkos and Pyrrha was a welcomed topic by a vocal portion of the members. I can name several moments where Pyrrha and/or Arkos were painted in a negative light where even mentioning Pyrrha was unnecessary. I'm not going to dredge up more dirty laundry about those incidents in public. The final straw, however, was on Valentine's Day. There was a massive amount of meme-ing about Pyrrha being dead. A message to the two members who were responsible for **all of it** : I get it. Pyrrha's dead. There was also a good bit of spamming Pyrrha cucking Jaune art. For two people who are 'indifferent', their actions gave proof to that lie. But the real reason I left? It was blatant trolling and most of the mods were as indifferent as the agitators claimed to be. Granted with the state of flux due to a semi-vacuum of leadership that existed, I should not have been surprised.

Now for the tl;dr version of this, I'm stepping back. My Naruto fic and Chains of the Kindred fans will be happy to know I'm going to focus on those fandoms for a while. I'll be looking at whether or not I'm coming back to RWBY. Thanks to two new servers I'm apart of… it's looking like I will be back eventually. I'm not sure if my current fics will remain as they are. Some, such as Beacon: Academy and In Vino Veritas will most certainly remain unchanged. Sanctum Days is _likely_ to remain as is. Extra Curricular will be rebuilt from the ground up. Jaune Appetit… I'm debating.

I can promise you'll never see a color-swapped Weiss becoming some kind of thirsty mirror inverted… thing in any of them.

Sorry for being salty at the end, but I do hope I'll be energized by this hiatus and return. In the meantime, if you want to support some awesome Arkos writers, I suggest the following:

Smstanton of "4 Years at Beacon"  
Solora Goldsun of many fics  
soulfulbard of many fics  
WarrenDSherman: of "From Embers to Dust" and great Artwork. He is responsible for the cover to "In Vino Veritas"  
Harmonious Arkos Sloth: of "Product Placement" and "Blame Discord!" fame.

I am sorry to disappoint you all, but this is something I feel is warranted. I need to determine if I should continue as I was. Who knows? I may break down in a week thanks to my actual Discord friends and start writing and building up a backlog. However, I will probably not be back to RWBY fics until May at the earliest. As to when I start writing? I'm not sure. I will not be putting my fics up for adoption at this time. If you see any of my RWBY fics reposted during this hiatus, they are not authorized and I will be reporting them.


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